Sergio Garcia Condemns OWGR's LIV Golf Ranking Points Decision as 'Unfair'
Sergio Garcia has strongly criticised the Official World Golf Ranking's (OWGR) new ruling for LIV Golf players, labelling it 'unfair'. This follows the announcement that only competitors finishing inside the top ten at LIV-sanctioned events will be awarded world ranking points.
Landmark Move Met with Mixed Reactions
The landmark decision, revealed last Tuesday, represents a significant moment for LIV Golf executives, who have campaigned for nearly four years to secure OWGR recognition for their players. However, the league itself issued a scathing statement, asserting that 'no other tour in OWGR history had been subjected to such a restriction'.
In their determination, OWGR officials concluded that LIV Golf still does not meet its eligibility criteria, even after the tour announced a shift to a 72-hole format. While this change allows LIV players to compare themselves with those on the other 24 men's professional tours and potentially qualify for the four major championships, the ruling has been met with considerable disdain.
Garcia's Detailed Critique
'It's definitely a step forward,' Garcia acknowledged. 'Is it fair? I mean, I guess time will tell us. It doesn't feel like it's totally fair.'
He elaborated on the potential long-term impact, explaining, 'With time, obviously. Now the first few weeks when one of us is winning, that guy is going to make a jump in the rankings, which is great, but then every time you finish 11th or worse, you're getting a zero and you're getting an extra event on your divisor.'
Divisors refer to the number of tournaments a player competes in over a rolling two-year period, used to calculate average ranking points. 'So that in the near, a little farther future, it can hurt a lot. But like I said, it's a step forward, so it is positive.'
Immediate Impact and Player Responses
The ruling had an immediate effect, with LIV player Elvis Smylie soaring in the OWGR rankings after his victory at the league's season opener in Riyadh last week. The Australian, who received 22.98 OWGR points, climbed from world number 134 to a career-high number 77.
Should Smylie break into the OWGR's top 50 by April 9, he will secure an exemption to play in his first Masters tournament. 'I think that at the end of the day, it's going to help some of these kids perform well to move up the rankings. Hopefully they play really well,' Garcia added.
However, he noted the limitation: 'But unfortunately, only 10 guys can finish in the top 10. Well, unless there are a couple of ties. It would be nice if it was expanded a little bit farther, as we probably think it should. But hopefully it'll come soon.'
This contrasts sharply with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, where all players making the cut earn OWGR points.
Support from Fellow LIV Golfers
Cameron Smith echoed Garcia's sentiments, describing the move as a 'positive step' but expressing frustration over the perceived lack of respect for LIV players. 'I think it's a work in progress, probably still, but it is nice to have that behind us. That's been a long time coming, so it's nice to get the recognition,' the 2022 Open Champion stated.
'It's so hard out here. I don't think we get the respect of the golfing world that maybe we sometimes deserve because of what it is and how we play. I think it's a work in progress, but it's a step in the right direction, nonetheless. It was good for Elvis last week. He loves it.'
Smith further emphasised the disparity in recognition, saying, 'Like Elvis last week played some of the best golf I think I've seen, and it's unfortunate that the golfing world doesn't see that how I see it, because I see it as that was a great performance and he held off probably one of the best golfers of our generation to win a golf tournament. Yeah, that's just how it is, unfortunately. I think we're getting places. Yep, it's getting better.'
Smylie himself reflected on the new opportunities, noting, 'Ultimately, the Masters is something that's on my mind now. That's a conversation that I can start to have and that is fuel to the fire for me. Let's see what happens these next few weeks.'
LIV Golf's Official Response and OWGR Justification
In response to the OWGR's decision, LIV Golf issued a statement that appeared to criticise the rankings body for not treating its players equally with those on other professional tours. 'We acknowledge this long‑overdue moment of recognition, which affirms the fundamental principle that performance on the course should matter, regardless of where the competition takes place,' a spokesperson said.
The statement continued, 'No other competitive tour or league in OWGR history has been subjected to such a restriction. We expect this is merely a first step toward a structure that fully and fairly serves the players, the fans, and the future of the sport. We entered this process in good faith and will continue to advocate for a ranking system that reflects performance over affiliation. The game deserves transparency. The fans deserve credibility. And the players deserve a system that treats them equally.'
The OWGR explained its decision by classifying LIV tournaments as 'Small Field Tournaments' with a 'Ranking points distribution cut-off'. In a statement, it noted, 'While taking account of the eligibility standards that LIV Golf does not currently meet and the fact that it operates differently from other ranked tours in a number of respects.'
The rankings system highlighted LIV's average field size of 57, below the minimum of 75 set out in OWR Regulations. It also pointed to the tour's exclusively no-cut events and 'restrictive pathways to join LIV Golf'.
OWGR chairman Trevor Immelman stated that the system aimed to balance fairness for both LIV players and those on other tours. 'We fully recognised the need to rank the top men’s players in the world but at the same time had to find a way of doing so that was equitable to the thousands of other players competing on other tours that operate with established meritocratic pathways. We believe we have found a solution that achieves these twin aims and enables the best-performing players at LIV Golf events to receive OWGR points.'
