ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Trevor Immelman said Friday that as chairman of the Official World Golf Ranking he is in constant contact with LIV Golf’s CEO and the board is working on issues such as the composition of the circuit’s 54-a-side league, which is funded by Saudi Arabia.
LIV Golf has not earned any world ranking points since its launch in June 2022, and only six players are in the world’s top 100 in points earned from majors and events on the Asian Tour and European Tour.
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LIV’s first application to become part of the OWGR system was rejected in October 2023. LIV filed a new application last summer under CEO Scott O’Neill, who was hired to replace Greg Norman.
Immelman, a former Masters champion and current CBS golf analyst, was named OWGR champion in April. He says he speaks regularly with O’Neal, even texting him on Friday during the PNC Championship pro-am.
“We’ve all been working hard together, trying to get answers and trying to understand what they want to do,” Immelman said. “They’re trying to figure out how their league is going to evolve. They decided to go 72 holes. From what I hear, they’re going to expand their field little by little and maybe want to grow even more.”
“There’s a very collaborative process going on right now between Scott and I and the board to resolve that.”
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The next season of LIV Golf begins on February 4th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Asked if a decision could be made by then, Immelman said: “I think there’s a chance.”
LIV started with a 54-hole event with no cuts, and has decided to hold a 72-hole event for the 2026 season. Immelman said the number of holes played has never been a big issue.
Instead, he pointed out how the 24 tours that are part of the OWGR operate with a leaning toward the concept of meritocracy.
LIV Golf finally saw some notable turnover this year, with 49-year-old Henrik Stenson among the six players who finished in the top 48 and were relegated from the league.
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Luis Massabeu, a 23-year-old from Spain, signed with the Fireballs team this year. He played in eight LIV events, replacing former U.S. Amateur champion Josele Ballester, and played in seven Challenge Tour events in Europe without finishing in the top 10, before re-signing with LIV in 2026.
“When you look at the OWGR and how it’s structured with eligible tours around the world, it’s a meritocracy,” Immelman said. “That’s one of the beauties of our sport, fighting to earn a tour spot and keep that tour job.
“And we’ve been working along the lines of working with them to understand their league in terms of meritocracy, promotion and relegation, and ultimately the self-selection aspects of how the league is structured.”
Mr. Immelman has no voting rights as chairman. He said a seven-member board will decide which tours will join the OWGR. Unlike the previous vote, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monaghan and European Tour CEO Guy Kinnings will have voting rights. They were excluded from previous OWGR discussions involving LIV. One reason is that litigation was ongoing during those meetings.
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Other board members represent Augusta National, R&A, USGA, PGA of America, and other tours.
LIV Golf poached several top players with huge signing bonuses when it launched in 2022, but was considered a closed shop. Only one player entered the league from this season’s promotion event. In 2026, two players will be selected from the Asian Tour International Series, and two more players will earn spots through the LIV version of Q-School next month.
They have also signed Victor Perez (France) and Rory Kanter (England) for next season.
“If a particular league wants to earn points, there are long-standing regulations that all other eligible tours have followed to participate in the OWGR,” Immelman said. “Meritocracy is a big aspect of how you get promoted and demoted on and off tour. In fact, that’s a big part of what I’ve been talking about with Scott.”
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World ranking points are considered important to LIV Golf’s credibility and helping its members advance to the majors, all of which rely on the OWGR as part of their criteria. LIV players can earn ranking points only in major tournaments and by playing on circuits other than the PGA Tour, where it is prohibited.
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AP Golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
