LIV Golf Series Reveals World Ranking Points Application
The breakaway tour faces a race against time to provide ranking points for the first event at the Centurion Club
LIV Golf Investments, the start-up company behind the Saudi-backed attempt to form a breakaway global league, is in the process of applying for their eight-event invitational series to be officially recognised by the OWGR (Official World Golf Ranking), in order for rebel players to secure ranking points, as well as a shed load of cash, for their efforts.
The series gets underway from June 9-11 at the Centurion Club near St Albans, leaving Greg Norman - CEO of LGI - and co. in a race against time to successfully navigate the arduous process.
Atul Kholsa, Chief Operating Officer of LGI, said: “We've had quite a few conversations already with the OWGR team. We actually had a good session with them yesterday to walk through what our current field looks like, what our player pathway looks like, and how we want to structure our events.
“We're in partnership with the Asian Tour, so we are in the process right now of the application to put our application in. We've got a couple of draft versions that we've gone back and forth with them to make sure that we check all the boxes and all the criteria. With the field that we are expecting, we expect to get OWGR points and are going through the process right now.
“I don't know that we will get it for the first event because of the nature of how long it takes for the application to go through and the process one needs to undertake. But we are hopeful that we can get them for this year onwards.”
During the press conference, Norman revealed that 36 of the world’s top 150 have signed up for the first event next month, despite the PGA Tour and reportedly the DP World Tour blocking player release requests.
And when asked if he thought more big names would have jumped ship if ranking points were available, Kholsa added: “Sure, and we've had those conversations with the players as well. Kind of walked them through our application where we are and the process we're undertaking. But we've had that dialogue with the players.
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“But the [OWGR] board does consist of the same individuals that have threatened players, correct? It's interesting, isn't it, how everything is controlled by the same individuals if you want to play golf in this world? We'll see how it goes.”
While ranking points aren't yet on offer, the series has been boosted by an additional $2 billion investment so Norman can turn the eight-event invitational series into a fully fledged 14-tournament super league by 2024.
A lifelong golf fan, Andy graduated in 2019 with a degree in Sports Journalism and got his first role in the industry as the Instruction Editor for National Club Golfer. From there, he decided to go freelance and now covers a variety of topics for Golf Monthly.
Andy took up the game at the age of seven and even harboured ambitions of a career in the professional ranks for a spell. That didn’t pan out, but he still enjoys his weekend golf at Royal Troon and holds a scratch handicap. As a side note, he's made five holes-in-one and could quite possibly be Retief Goosen’s biggest fan.
As well as the above, some of Andy's work has featured on websites such as goal.com, dailyrecord.co.uk, and theopen.com.
What's in Andy's bag?
Driver: Callaway Mavrik Sub-Zero (9°)
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (15°)
Driving iron: Titleist U500 (17°)
Irons: Mizuno mp32 (4-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM9 (50°, 54° and 58°)
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport 2.5
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
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