After declaring a year ago that it would no longer seek recognition from the Official World Golf Ranking, LIV Golf changed its format in November 2025 while continuing to seek legitimacy from the organization. The verdict appears to have turned in their favor on Tuesday, as OWGR announced it would award ranking points attributable to LIV golf events for the first time.
“After a thorough and collaborative process and commitment to reflect the changing landscape of the men’s professional game, the OWGR Board of Directors has decided to award world ranking points to LIV golf events for the 2026 season,” the organization announced. “Ranking points will be allocated to the top 10 (and ties) in LIV Golf’s individual stroke play events. This recognizes that there are a number of areas in which LIV Golf does not meet the eligibility criteria set by the OWGR.”
LIV Golf was first denied certification by the OWGR in October 2023 after applying in July 2022. The application was then withdrawn in March 2024. Attack the reliability and legitimacy of a systemFive months later, in November, LIV Golf adjusted its own game, adding: Participation slot and Tournament expanded from 54 holes to 72 holesa move the league has long resisted.
The decision to award points based on the “Small Field Tournament” classification and limit points to the top 10 is essentially a compromise from OWGR. The organization noted that LIV Golf still does not meet certain eligibility criteria, most notably average field size (57 instead of 75), continues to hold no-cut events, and has limited pathways to join the league.
Still, LIV Golf achieved some success in the OWGR by expanding to 72 holes and adding slots. OWGR noted that its overall purpose is to fairly rank the best players in men’s golf, which should include the top players in LIV golf.
OWGR Chairman Trevor Immelman said: “This has been an incredibly complex and difficult process, and we have spent a significant amount of time and energy resolving it in the seven months since LIV Golf submitted its application.” “We were fully aware of the need to rank the world’s top men’s players, but at the same time we needed to find a way to do so that was fair to the thousands of other players on other tours that operate on established meritocratic pathways. We believe we have found a solution that achieves these two objectives and allows the best-performing players in LIV golf events to earn OWGR points.”
Immediately after the OWGR announcement, LIV Golf expressed displeasure at the decision to limit points to ties with the top 10, arguing that it “unfairly harms players who consistently perform at a high level but finish just outside of that reference point.”
The 2026 season is expected to be a significant season for LIV Golf. With the departure of Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed to return to the PGA Tour, all eyes are on how the remaining big names in LIV will approach future contract negotiations. Bryson DeChambeau’s current contract runs through the end of the 2026 season, while Jon Rahm has two years remaining on his original contract. Both were given the same chance as Koepka, but refused to jump ship right away.
Earning OWGR points is a step in the right direction for LIV Golf under new CEO Scott O’Neal, but it faces a difficult challenge convincing its best players that the tour remains the best option to compete at the top level.
Currently, points are awarded to top 10 finishers in individual competitions, but the limited number of LIV golf events, combined with tournaments that award fewer ranking points compared to PGA Tour events, makes it very difficult for players competing in LIV to rise near the top of the world rankings.
