LIV Golf players surge in world rankings despite complaints

Several LIV Golf members climbed the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) this week following the season-opening tournament in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The OWGR recently announced that players in the Saudi-backed circuit would earn ranking points for the first time, though points are currently awarded only to the top 10 finishers at each event.

LIV Golf rookie Elvis Smylie of Australia jumped from 133rd to 77th after winning his debut in Riyadh.

"It's a by-product of the great work I'm doing with my team and the good golf that I'm playing," said Smylie, 23. "If I continue to do that, then all that stuff will take care of itself. But it's definitely motivating for me to try to get into the Masters."

Runner-up and former World No. 1 Jon Rahm of Spain moved from 93rd to 67th. Other notable jumps included Sebastian Munoz of Colombia (767th to 566th), Abraham Ancer (616th to 449th), and Thomas Pieters of Belgium (564th to 419th).

The only exception was LIV rookie Thomas Detry, who finished seventh in Riyadh but dropped from 62nd to 63rd after failing to defend his maiden PGA Tour victory at the WM Phoenix Open.

OWGR points are crucial for securing spots in golf’s four major tournaments. The top 50 the week before the Masters (March 30) gain entry to Augusta, the top 60 before the U.S. Open (May 18) qualify for the championship, and the top 50 ahead of The Open Championship (May 25) are invited. The PGA Championship typically invites the top 100 players.

Since its debut in 2022, LIV Golf has pushed for OWGR points. Rahm and CEO Scott O’Neil have expressed frustration that only top-10 finishers receive points.

"Yeah, it's fantastic that we're getting points," Rahm said after the first round in Riyadh. "It's fantastic that we're being recognized in a way. With that said, I don't like how we're not being treated the same as every other tour… There’s work to be done."

LIV Golf recently moved from a 54-hole to a 72-hole format to meet OWGR requirements. In a statement, the league welcomed the recognition but criticized the points system.

"We acknowledge this long-overdue moment of recognition," LIV Golf said. "However, limiting points to only the top 10 finishers disproportionately harms players who consistently perform at a high level but finish just outside that threshold, as well as emerging talent… No other competitive tour in OWGR history has faced such a restriction. We will continue to advocate for a ranking system that treats performance fairly."

—Field Level Media/Reuters