Rahm Says Golf Rankings Not A good System After LIV Pulls Out - UrduPoint
Source: UrduPoint
Hong Kong, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Mar, 2024) Masters champion John Rahm said Wednesday that the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) was not "a good system" after LIV Golf formally withdrew its application to join.
"A resolution which protects the accuracy, credibility and integrity of the OWGR rankings no longer exists."
The OWGR, whose rankings are used to decide exemptions into golf's four major championships, denied LIV Golf's bid last October.
"I'm going to go back to what I said two years ago. I didn't think it was a good system back then," Rahm told reporters ahead of LIV Hong Kong, which begins on Friday.
"If anything, the more time goes on, the more it proves to be wrong," added the Spaniard, who only left the PGA Tour for LIV in December and is still ranked world number three.
Fellow major champion Bryson DeChambeau said it was incumbent on everyone running the game to find common ground.
"The way I think about it is we need to find a collective way," said DeChambeau. "We should focus on having the best players in the majors.
"All the governing bodies, everybody, come together, sit down and figure this out. Because we need to do this for the fans."
The OWGR denied LIV's application citing concerns that included limited paths to joining the tour and the aspect of simultaneous team and individual competition.
LIV made adjustments, Norman wrote, but "the OWGR has shown little willingness to productively work with us."
Norman said LIV players have been snubbed for so long that it would be difficult for them to be properly rated even if OWGR began assigning points now for LIV events.
LIV and PGA Tour players compete against each other at majors, with many LIV players having earned their way into the fields at golf's four top events based on previous achievements.
The majors can make exceptions and issue their own invitations, as has been done this year with Joaquin Niemann.
The Chilean is arguably the hottest player in golf currently, having won two out of the first three LIV tournaments this season.
He also won the Australian Open in December to earn a spot in the British Open and has been given special invitations into next month's US Masters and the US PGA Championship in May.
"Now they've given one player a chance before you know it there will be a solution," said Rahm. "I think it's opening the door slightly.
"If anybody in this world doesn't think 'Joaco' (Niemann) deserves to be in the top 10 or doesn't know that he's a top player in the world, I don't know what game you're watching."
DeChambeau had a concrete suggestion for a way forward.