LIV Golf Hong Kong: world rankings system has proved to be wrong, Rahm says, as PGA Tour pair call for change
- World No 3 Jon Rahm says it’s obvious that 76th ranked Joaquin Niemann is among the best playing the game
- LIV Golf boss Greg Norman told players in a letter that the league was withdrawing its bid to get Official World Golf Ranking accreditation
There is not a lot the golf world agrees on at the moment, but it appears as though an increasing disregard of the Official Golf World Rankings is one of them.
Hours after LIV Golf boss Greg Norman told his players the league was withdrawing its bid to get OWGR accreditation, Xander Schauffele, and PGA Tour policy board member Patrick Cantlay, said some changes might be needed to measure talent properly.
And speaking on Wednesday ahead of this week’s LIV Golf tournament at Hong Kong Golf Club, world No 3 Jon Rahm reiterated his stance of two years ago when asked about the rankings.
“I didn’t think it was a good system back then, and if anything it’s the more time that goes on, the more it proves to be wrong,” said Rahm, who was surprised to learn LIV had still been trying to get accredited.
In a letter sent to players on Tuesday, Norman said the decision to stop seeking OWGR status had “not been taken lightly”, but after 18 months of trying it was clear “the best way forward for LIV as a league and you as LIV golfers is not through the current ranking system”.
The Australian did not hold back in his letter, saying the rankings were “structured to penalise anyone who has not played regularly on an ‘Eligible Tour’”, and adding that field ratings were biased in favour of the PGA Tour events.
