LIV players likely to continue dropping down World Golf Rankings after OWGR board ruling
The decision by the Official World Golf Ranking board to not award points to members of the LIV Golf League will ensure two things: more bitterness on the past of the LIV officials and more plummeting down the ranking by LIV players.
The board rejected LIV's application for ranking points, 15 months after it was submitted in July of 2022.
OWGR chairman Peter Dawson told the Associated Press that the decision had nothing to do with the conflict between LIV, the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley and Keith Waters of the International Federation of PGA Tours recused themselves from the final decision.
“We are not at war with them,” Dawson told AP. “This decision not to make them eligible is not political. It is entirely technical. LIV players are self-evidently good enough to be ranked. They're just not playing in a format where they can be ranked equitably with the other 24 tours and thousands of players trying to compete on them.”
The sticking points are that LIV plays 54-hole tournaments, does not have a cut and does not have an open qualifying process.
When LIV debuted in June of 2022 14 players who played in the first event or would eventually join LIV (such as Cameron Smith of Ponte Vedra Beach) were among the world's top-50 players. Since LIV players get points only for their performance in major championships and the Asian Tour, only one has improved his ranking: PGA champion and Masters runner-up Brooks Kopeka went from 20th in June of 2022 to 18th this week.
Smith has dropped from a high of second in the world to 15th. No other LIV players are among the top 50 and the only ones inside the top 100 are Patrick Reed (62), Joaquin Niemann (64), Mito Pereira (79) and Abraham Ancer (92).
Some of the drops have been dramatic: Dustin Johnson has fallen 106 spots from 15th to 121; Louis Oosthuizen 364 spots from 21st to 385th; and Kevin Na 419 spots from 34th to 463rd.
“OWGR’s sole objective is to rank the best players across the globe. Today’s communication makes clear that it can no longer deliver on that objective,” LIV Golf said in a statement. Professional golf is now without a true or global scoring and ranking system. There is no benefit for fans or players from the lack of trust or clarity as long as the best player performances are not recognized.”
LIV can reapply in the future. There's also the issue of what will happen if a "framework agreement" among the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (which bankrolls LIV), the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour is worked out.
Furyk design to be unveiled
There's a new golf course on the Treasure Coast but it has multiple First Coast connections.
Ground will be broken on Oct. 26 for the Glynlea Country Club in Port St. Lucie, part of the Wylder development that will include 862 new homes and an 18-hole course designed by 17-time PGA Tour Jim Furyk of Jacksonville.
The residential development will be handled by a Jacksonville firm headed by Ed Burr, GreenPointe Developers. The course will be managed by Hampton Golf of Jacksonville, which also manages Stillwater, Palencia, Eagle Harbor and Blue Sky. The Hampton Golf president is M.G. Orender.
Players donates to INK!
The St. Johns County Education Foundation, Inc. which operates as Investing in Kids (INK!) has received a $5,000 donation from The Players Championship that will be used for its Tools 4 Schools program.
“It is all thanks to the support of partners and fans that The Players is able to respond to the needs of our community by providing teachers with the supplies needed to ensure academic success for tomorrow's future leaders and professionals,” said Emily Bellock, Senior Director of Community Outreach for The Players, in a statement.
According to a 2023 national survey conducted by AdoptAClassroom.org teachers across the country spend an average of $860 of their own money purchasing school supplies for students and classrooms. The purpose of INK!’s Tools 4 Schools program is to minimize expenses for educators and provide the academic supplies necessary for success with a goal of serving approximately 3,200 teachers and 51,000 students countywide.
The Players' donation will help INK! replenish inventory for high-demand items including notebooks, glue sticks, pencils, erasers, and markers, as well as more expensive items such as scientific calculators, USB storage drives, and binders.
Elevating Players hospitality
The PGA Tour has signed a deal with Elevate, a sports and entertainment consulting firm, to support the Tour's premium hospitality strategy, sales, and service for The Players Championship, the Sentry Tournament of Champions and the Tour Championship beginning in 2024.
Elevate will also lead the national sales team and strategy for the 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club near Chicago.
The multi-year agreement will utilize best practices in analytics and business intelligence from the agency’s Insights Division. Elevate will assemble and manage a national sales team to curate, sell, and service premium opportunities for guests of the marquee tournaments.
For the PGA Tour’s fans and tournament guests, Elevate will develop tailored experience and travel-inclusive packages, fusing ultra-VIP tournament hospitality; premium food and beverage; behind-the-scenes experiences and golf programming; exclusive merchandise; premier travel accommodations; seamless transport and concierge service; and private pre-and-post tournament entertainment.
PGA TOUR
Event: Shriners Hospital for Children Open, Thursday-Sunday, TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas.
At stake: $8.4 million purse ($1,512,000 and 500 FedEx Cup points to the winner).
Defending champion: Tom Kim.
TV: Golf Channel (Thursday-Sunday, 5-8 p.m.).
Area players entered: Tyson Alexander, Lanto Griffin, Patton Kizzire, Russell Knox, J.T. Poston, Doc Redman, Sam Ryder, Davis Thompson, Carl Yuan.
Notable: Kim shot 62-66 on the weekend and beat Matthew NeSmith by three shots.
LIV GOLF LEAGUE
Event: LIV Golf Jeddah, Friday-Sunday, Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia.
At stake: $20 million purse ($4 million to the winner).
Defending champion: Brooks Koepka.
TV: CW (Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m.).
Area players entered: Cameron Smith.
Notable: Kopeka defeated Peter Uihlein on the third hole of sudden death.
LPGA TOUR
Event: Buick LPGA Shanghai, Wednesday-Saturday, Qizhong Garden Golf Club, Shanghai.
At stake: $2.1 million purse ($315,000 to the winner).
Defending champion: Danielle Kang.
TV: Golf Channel (Wednesday-Saturday, 11 p.m.-4 a.m.).
Area players entered: None.
Notable: The tournament was last played in 2019, when Kang won her second event in Shanghai in two years. She defeated Jessica Korda by one shot.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Event: SAS Championship, Friday-Sunday, Prestonwood Country Club, Cary N.C.
At stake: $2.1 million purse ($315,000 to the winner).
Defending champion: Fred Couples.
TV: Golf Channel (Friday-Sunday, 2-5 p.m.)
Area players entered: David Duval, Fred Funk, Davis Love III, Vijay Singh.
Notable: This is the final regular-season event. The top-72 players on the money list advance to the Schwab Cup playoffs in Richmond, Boca Raton and Phoenix. … Couples, who is not playing this week, shot a personal-best 60 in competition to beat Steve Alker by six shots.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: No point: LIV Golf League players left out by World Golf Ranking board
