What the new OWGR ruling for LIV means for everyday club golfers
Published by Bonnyton Golf Club in Club News · Tuesday 03 Feb 2026 · 2:45
This week, the Official World Golf Ranking confirmed that LIV Golf events will receive world ranking points for the first time in 2026.
There is a catch.
Only the top 10 finishers and ties at each LIV event will receive points.
LIV has publicly criticised the decision as unprecedented and unfair. The OWGR says it is the only way to balance LIV’s small fields, no cut, and closed entry system with the merit pathways used on traditional tours.
Big names such as Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton will benefit. Players finishing 11th will receive nothing.
Why OWGR did this
OWGR’s criteria are built around:
- Field size, normally 75 plus
- A cut that removes half the field
- Open, merit based qualification routes
LIV has:
- 54 player fields
- No cut
- Contracted entry rather than qualification
So OWGR has effectively placed LIV into the same category as “small field tournaments” worldwide and limited points to the top 10.
Why LIV is angry
On every other recognised tour, points flow well down the leaderboard.
A player finishing 25th on the PGA Tour or DP World Tour still moves in the rankings. On LIV, that same level of performance will count for nothing.
LIV’s argument is simple. Performance should matter regardless of where you play.
OWGR’s argument is just as simple. Structure and access have to matter for fairness across global golf.
What this means for the pro game
This is a halfway house.
- LIV players can now qualify for majors again through ranking
- But only if they contend regularly
- Depth players on LIV will remain stuck in ranking limbo
- Pressure increases on LIV to further align its format with global golf structures
It is the first formal bridge between LIV and the traditional system since 2022.
What this means for members at Bonnyton Golf Club
This is actually great clubhouse debate material because it hits right at the heart of modern golf:
- Is golf about where you play or how well you play
- Should rankings reward consistency or structure
- Can a closed league ever be fairly compared to open tours
You will hear this discussed all season in the pro shop and on the first tee.
And when Rahm or Hatton suddenly jump 40 places in the world rankings after a LIV win, you will know exactly why.
The bigger picture
This is not the end of the LIV and OWGR story. It is the beginning of a compromise.
OWGR has opened the door slightly. LIV now has to decide whether to walk further through it by changing its structure.
One thing is certain. World rankings matter again for LIV players in 2026.
And that changes the landscape of professional golf more than most people realise.
