LIV Golf to receive world ranking points for the first time for top 10 players

LIV Golf received a significant enhancement just before the commencement of its fifth season, as the Official World Golf Ranking granted the Saudi-backed league the ability to earn ranking points for the first time.

The OWGR board’s unanimous decision on Tuesday came with certain stipulations, however.

Points will be allocated only for the top 10 finishers and ties, unlike other tours that feature smaller fields and exclude only the lowest finishers. Given that LIV Golf has not had ranking points since its inception in 2022, its field strength will be diminished.

Tyrrell Hatton, ranked No. 22, and Bryson DeChambeau, ranked No. 33, are the only LIV players within the top 50, with five additional players in the top 100. Jon Rahm is positioned at No. 97.

Nonetheless, the decision takes effect immediately as LIV Golf kicks off on Wednesday in Saudi Arabia.

This board decision concludes a discussion that has persisted nearly as long as LIV itself. The OWGR declined the initial application in October 2023 when former chairman Peter Dawson stated that the board could not accurately assess LIV in comparison to other tours.

Trevor Immelman, a former Masters champion and the current lead analyst for CBS Sports, assumed the role of OWGR chairman last year and maintained ongoing communication with Scott O’Neil, the new CEO of LIV.

LIV has transitioned from 54 holes to 72 holes for 2026, although this change was not a significant barrier to obtaining world ranking points, as other smaller tours globally also host 54-hole events. Instead, it was the player turnover within LIV and the selective process of adding players with contracts that posed challenges.

However, the board navigated these concerns to officially recognize LIV Golf as the 25th circuit in the OWGR.