The world of golf is undergoing a major shake-up, and this week’s events are a prime example of how quickly pages can turn over in the golfing world. According to the recent update on the OWGR list, the PIF Saudi International has gained a stronger field ranking of 123.95355 than the PGA Tour-sanctioned, Hero World Challenge and Nedbank Golf World Challenge. This update was rather shocking for the fans and the golfing stars, as the PGA Tour has been the dominant force in golf for decades.
So, how exactly did the coin flip?
According to the reports, the PIF Saudi International attracted LIV Golf’s top stars, teeing off in the event, eventually boosting its ranking in the OWGR list. Some of the top Greg Norman’s boys who helped PIF achieve this success are Abraham Ancer of Fireballs GC and 4Aces GC Captain Dustin Johnson, along with Johnson, who won this event in 2019 and 2021 and 39 others.
This is when PIF’s field rating improved, becoming stronger than the Hero World Challenge. But does that mean Greg Norman’s boys will get a higher OWGR point after winning the event? Apparently not! Though the PGA Tour sanctioned Hero World Challenge is now ranked second in the field rating, it still holds the number 1 position for the highest OWGR winning points.
This week is a great example of just how quickly the professional golf landscape has changed. The International Series event on the Asian Tour has a higher field rating according to the OWGR than the PGA Tour and DP World Tour sanctioned events.
The PIF Saudi International is… pic.twitter.com/wrkiJMQEgW
— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) December 4, 2024
Sounds unfair?
Well, according to the Official World Golf Ranking system, the winner of Tiger Woods‘s event gets 31 winning points, approximately 10 more points than the PIF Saudi International event’s winner. Yet, this has sparked a heated debate about the world ranking system again. Many say it’s “broken” and needs a major overhaul. Among the many is one of the famous golf clubs—the LIV Golf.
LIV Golf’s criticism against the OWGR ranking system
LIV Golf’s criticism of the OWGR is nothing new! Last year, the organization took to social media, stating that professional golf was “without a true or global scoring and ranking system.” This critical assessment firmly highlights the flaws in the OWGR’s criteria for awarding points, which LIV Golf contends is unjustly biased in favor of traditional tournaments.
Significantly, the OWGR’s decision to deny LIV Golf’s request for recognition has only added fuel to the fire. Despite its strong fields and attractive prize purses, LIV Golf remains on the outside looking in, unable to earn valuable world ranking points for its players. But as the golfing landscape continues to evolve, one thing is clear – the LIV Golf-Asian Tour alliance is changing the structure of the golf world, making many uncomfortable about the same.
If the PIF Saudi International continues to attract top talent and offer significant OWGR points, it could potentially become a major player in the world of golf. It may even outplay the PGA Tour. What do you think about this change of situations?
