LIV Golf’s Long Battle with OWGR Receives an Update on Friday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt De Lima | Last updated Jul 11, 2025 2:07 PM ET

After months of speculation and industry chatter, LIV Golf has officially taken its latest swing at gaining recognition from the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) system. On Friday, the OWGR confirmed it received a formal application from LIV Golf on June 30 and that the review process is now underway.

The announcement came via a statement from OWGR Board Chairman Trevor Immelman, who said, “The OWGR Board is committed to a thorough evaluation process of all applications, and LIV’s application will be reviewed in accordance with OWGR’s criteria to ensure fairness, integrity and consistency.”

This is the latest chapter in a long and often contentious standoff between LIV Golf and the traditional golf establishment.

⛳️ JUST IN: LIV Golf has submitted an application for OWGR points and their application is being reviewed by the OWGR board.

Should the application be approved? pic.twitter.com/BXstaQDsKU
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) July 11, 2025

One of the biggest sticking points has been LIV’s format. Unlike most professional tours that use 72-hole tournaments with cuts after two rounds, LIV Golf features 54-hole, no-cut events.

That deviation from the norm has been a key reason OWGR has not previously granted points to LIV players.

As a result, LIV golfers have been effectively locked out of the world ranking system. Many have tried to maintain or boost their global rankings by playing on the Asian Tour or European Tour, where OWGR points are awarded. Without those points, qualification for majors and other top-tier events becomes a much steeper climb.

Despite the ongoing friction, Immelman’s statement did strike a diplomatic tone, adding, “We appreciate the interest of LIV Golf — and all Tours — in contributing to the global landscape of men’s professional golf through OWGR.”

There have been recent rumors that OWGR was warming up to the idea of approving LIV Golf, but Friday’s update marks the first official movement in that direction. For now, all eyes are on the OWGR board as the golf world waits to see whether LIV Golf will finally earn a place in the world ranking system.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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