OWGR Grants LIV Golf Limited Accreditation

The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) has granted accreditation to LIV Golf's breakaway tour, but with restrictions. Only the top-10 finishers in LIV Golf's events will earn ranking points. LIV Golf plans to expand its tournaments by 2026, but OWGR highlighted several unmet eligibility standards.

The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) announced on Tuesday that it has granted accreditation to LIV Golf for the first time, allowing top-10 finishers in its 14 individual stroke-play events to earn world ranking points this year. This decision comes after OWGR's initial rejection of LIV Golf's bid in 2023.

LIV Golf had submitted another application in June and announced plans to expand its tournaments from 54 to 72 holes by 2026, a move that facilitated Tuesday's approval. However, OWGR noted that ranking points would be allocated only to the top-10 finishers as LIV Golf failed to meet all of its eligibility requirements.

The decision drew criticism from LIV Golf, which called it an "unprecedented" move that disproportionately impacts players who consistently rank just outside the top 10. The Saudi-backed circuit, slated to begin its season in Riyadh with 57 players, stated that it hopes this development is a step towards a more equitable structure for all stakeholders in the sport.

(With inputs from agencies.)