Feb 3 (Reuters) – Top-10 finishers in LIV Golf’s 14 individual stroke-play events will earn world ranking points this year, Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) said on Tuesday, granting accreditation to the breakaway tour for the first time.
LIV Golf, whose initial bid was unanimously rejected by the OWGR in 2023, had submitted another application in June and announced it would expand its tournaments from 54 to 72 holes in 2026, paving the way for Tuesday’s approval.
OWGR said its board had decided to allocate ranking points only to the top-10 finishers because LIV Golf did not meet all its requirements.
“There are a number of areas where LIV Golf does not meet the eligibility standards set out by OWGR,” OWGR said in a statement.
In 2025, the field for LIV Golf’s tournaments consisted of 13 four-man teams and two permanent wild card spots for a total of 54 players – far fewer than the number of golfers that compete at standard PGA Tour events.
The Saudi-backed circuit’s season-opening event kicks off in Riyadh on Wednesday with 57 players.
LIV Golf said it acknowledged the “long-overdue moment of recognition”, but criticised OWGR’s decision to only award ranking points to its top-10 players.
“This outcome is unprecedented. Under these rules, a player finishing 11th in a LIV Golf event is treated the same as a player finishing 57th,” LIV Golf said in a statement.
“Limiting points to only the top 10 finishers disproportionately harms players who consistently perform at a high level but finish just outside that threshold.
“No other competitive tour or league in OWGR history has been subjected to such a restriction. We expect this is merely a first step toward a structure that fully and fairly serves the players, the fans, and the future of the sport.”
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in BengaluruEditing by Toby Davis)
