LIV Golf’s pursuit for Official World Golf Rating factors has failed because of equity issues regardless of a gruelling, and tumultuous, 15-month marketing campaign.
The OWGR board on Tuesday rejected the appliance, which was first submitted in July 2022 after LIV Golf’s first controversial season had begun.
The insurgent tour’s distinctive format noticed its occasions not fulfill a number of areas of the OWGR standards, mainly not enjoying 72 holes or having a 36-hole lower.
League commissioner Greg Norman hoped the usual of gamers, and high quality of competitors, might power an exception.
Nonetheless, what merely couldn’t be neglected by the OWGR was that LIV Golf is a closed store with the identical 48 gamers locked in throughout a season.
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In rejecting the bid, the energy of the Saudi-backed circuit was acknowledged however, in the end, it was inconceivable to discover a technique to pretty incorporate LIV alongside different excursions with higher entry.
OWGR chair Peter Dawson was additionally desirous to stress that it was not a “political” choice given the lingering stress between LIV and the PGA Tour, regardless of an settlement to merge between the latter and LIV’s monetary backers, the Public Funding Fund.
“We’re not at struggle with them,” Dawson informed the Related Press.
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“This choice to not make them eligible shouldn’t be political. It’s totally technical.
“LIV gamers are self-evidently ok to be ranked. They’re simply not enjoying in a format the place they are often ranked equitably with the opposite 24 excursions and 1000’s of gamers attempting to compete on them.”
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, European tour chief Keith Pelley and Keith Waters all recused themselves from the choice because of a possible battle of curiosity.
The choice means LIV Golf stars, together with Cameron Smith, will proceed to wrestle to build up OWGR factors, outdoors of enjoying within the majors.
Incomes entry to the majors themselves additionally turns into tougher given a prime OWGR rating is the widest avenue into them for many who are usually not earlier champions.
Even so, the door is open for LIV Golf stars to return to the PGA Tour from subsequent yr ought to a merger develop into official by the top of 2023.