LIV Golf has utilized once more to be included within the Official World Golf Rating, with none indication the way it will function in another way from when their first software was rejected almost two years in the past.
The OWGR stated in an announcement Friday it had acquired the applying and has began the evaluate course of to decided if the Saudi-funded league of 54 gamers could be included.
“The OWGR Board is dedicated to an intensive analysis strategy of all purposes, and LIV’s software will probably be reviewed in accordance with OWGR’s standards to make sure equity, integrity and consistency,” the OWGR stated in an announcement.
The OWGR board has an annual assembly subsequent week on the Open.
The OWGR denied the primary software in October 2023 — the primary full yr of the league — saying it couldn’t pretty measure LIV Golf with two dozen different excursions around the globe due to what amounted to a closed store, together with the person competitors probably being compromised by scores counting towards a workforce end result.
LIV now has 54 gamers — 13 four-man groups and two wild playing cards — and retains the roster all season apart from alternates utilized in case of damage.
Different excursions have numerous types of qualifying that permit for adjustments within the discipline amongst a bigger membership. LIV started a “promotions” occasion that supplied three spots on the finish of 2023, however that was lowered to at least one spot final yr. The chief of the Asian Tour’s Worldwide Sequence additionally will get a spot in LIV supplied he is not already a member.
World rating factors have been seen as vital to LIV as a result of the 4 majors — all of which have a seat on the OWGR board — use the rating to assist decided the sector. The U.S. Open and Open this yr added a class for high LIV performers. The Masters and PGA Championship use invites at their discretion to get whom they think about deserving.
LIV, which as soon as tried to get rating factors by turning into a part of the MENA Tour in Africa, formally withdrew its first software in Could 2024.
Scott O’Neil has changed Greg Norman as CEO of the Saudi league. He met with Trevor Immelman, the brand new OWGR chairman on the Masters this yr, and Immelman informed the AP he has spoken a number of occasions on the cellphone with O’Neil.
Immelman had stated the rejection letter despatched to LIV in October 2023 was “fairly clear” with the place the board had on the time and any change would begin with LIV making use of anew.
“We admire the curiosity of LIV Golf — and all of the excursions — in contributing to the worldwide panorama of males’s skilled golf by way of OWGR,” the assertion stated.
