Liv Golf said that earning world ranking points starts with a Saudi-funded league applying for the official World Golf Rankings, and Chairman Trevor Immelman said Thursday that the first step will not happen.
Immelman, who took over the OWGR chair three weeks ago, spoke on the phone with Liv CEO Scott O’Neil and said he met him for a casual conversation while mastering.
“They have not applied for anything,” Immelman said in a phone interview. “I know time whether it will happen or not.
“…We’re in the same position as without an application from their side. The ball is on their court.”
OWGR rejected the original application of LIV in October 2023, saying it cannot measure the league quite a bit on around 20 other tours around the world.
Liv rescinded its application in May 2024.
Liv currently has a team of 13 four-man and 54 players with two wildcards. This is a roster that remains the same throughout the season (excluding injuries and replacements). We launched a “promotion” event offering three spots at the end of 2023, but last year it was cut to one location. The leader of the Asia Tour International Series has earned a spot in LIV if he is not yet a member.
O’Neill replaced Greg Norman this year as CEO of Liv Golf.
Four majors helped them determine their field using world rankings, and the heads of those organizations voted to reject their LIV applications.
This year’s US Open Open Championship has created a category that offers passes to at least one LIV player this year. Joaquín Niemann won that spot at the US Open. Masters says that special invitations can be used to get the fields you need.
Immelman did not say whether there is a tendency for another application to be in progress from a meeting with O’Neil.
“Our process is not about chasing tours,” Immelman said. “We have an open door policy. Anyone who wants to apply is welcome. There is no pressure from our side. These tours allow us to figure out what their best strategy is.”
Immelman said the rejection letter sent to LIV by former OWGR chair Peter Dawson in October 2023 was “very clear” in the position the board had found at the time.
“I would say it’s still a case,” Immelman said. “But there’s nothing really possible about it until a new application is entered. If LivGolf League wants to be part of OWGR, they need to go ahead and put in another application. That’s really where we are.”