Jon Rahm has become the latest LIV Golf star to criticise the current state of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), with the breakaway league still yet to acquire OWGR accreditation.
Since its inception in 2022, LIV has been hosting events without OWGR points on offer, which has led to some of the league’s biggest names falling down the ranking list. In just over a year, Rahm is one of those that has felt the effects of the snub, having fallen from third to 31st in the world.
Luckily for Rahm, his victory at the 2023 Masters ensures he has exemptions into the PGA Championship,US Open and Open Championship for the five years following his win, as well as a lifetime spot at Augusta National. Some of his LIV colleagues however are not so lucky, and Rahm weighed in on the debate upon his DP World Tour return in Dubai this week.
“I think I’ve expressed my opinions on the World Ranking system before I joined LIV,” the Spaniard said.
“But they told us — they [LIV] told me early on, I think even before I signed in the early conversations, that they were not going to pursue those discussions to the same level because they knew where it was directed. I think at this point to not give LIV world ranking points and the credibility it deserves, I think is wrong.
“Listen, I understand we’ve all made a decision and it’s not as easy as it sounds but to say that LIV players don’t deserve some spots in major championships I think is wrong and I hope that evolves into what it should be, right. I think Joaquin Niemann has done a good enough job for him to earn his way into major championships without invites.
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“Talor Gooch played good enough a few years ago to earn his way into majors without invites. There should be a way for us to qualify. And the world ranking points, need to figure something out because it’s not fair for anybody in that sense.”
As well as being ineligible for world ranking points, LIV events are also excluded from the European Ryder Cup qualification process. This will make Rahm’s bid to make Luke Donald’s team automatically all the more difficult come this September, with the Spaniard most likely relying on a captain’s pick.
Rahm is also waiting on the result of an appeal against a fine and suspension handed to him by the DP World Tour for competing in ‘conflicting’ LIV events as a Tour member. Having previously revealed he has no intention of paying what he owes, the Spaniard hopes any result over his appeal will come after the Ryder Cup in New York this Autumn.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Rahm said of his appeal. “I’m hoping they don’t try to settle the appeal before The Ryder Cup. I don’t think that would be good for anybody. But my plan is to be at Bethpage.” The LIV star has played in the last three Ryder Cups for the Europeans, winning in Paris i and Rome, whilst losing in Europe’s last trip to the United Sates at Whistling Straits.
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