LIV Golf getting world ranking points would start with the Saudi-funded league applying to the Official World Golf Ranking, and chairman Trevor Immelman said Thursday that first step has not happened.
Immelman, who took over as OWGR chair three weeks ago, said he has spoken with LIV CEO Scott O’Neil on the phone and met with him for a casual conversation during the Masters.
Sportico reported earlier this week that LIV Golf and the OWGR were in “serious discussions,” which Immelman found to be “an interesting choice of words.”
“They have not put any application in. Whether that happens or not, I guess time will tell,” Immelman said in a telephone interview.
“I have enjoyed getting to know Scott O’Neil over the last few months,” he said. “We’ve spoken on the phone a couple of times. We met in person at the Masters, just really introduction stuff. We’re in the same position we have been without any application from their side.
“The ball is in their court.”
The OWGR denied LIV’s original application in October 2023, saying it could not fairly measure the league with some two dozen other tours around the world because of what amounted to a closed shop and the possibility of competition being compromised by having team scores count simultaneously with individual results.
LIV withdrew its application in May 2024.
LIV now has 54 players — 13 four-man teams and two wild cards — a roster that stays the same same (except alternates for injury) all season. It started a “promotions” event that offered three spots at the end of 2023, but that was reduced to one spot last year. The leader of the Asian Tour’s International Series also gets a spot in LIV provided he’s not already a member.
O’Neil replaced Greg Norman as the CEO of LIV Golf this year.
The four majors use the world ranking to help determine its fields, and the heads of those organizations voted to deny LIV’s application.
The U.S. Open and British Open this year created a category to provide a path for at least one LIV Golf player this year. Joaquin Niemann earned that spot in the U.S. Open. The Masters has said it can get the field it needs through use of its special invitations.
Immelman did not say whether he had any inclination from his meetings with O’Neal that another application was in the works.
“Our process is not to go chasing tours,” Immelman said. “We have an open door policy. Whoever wants to apply is more than welcome. There isn’t any pressure from our side. We allow these tours to figure out what their best strategy is.”
But he said the rejection letter former OWGR Chairman Peter Dawson sent to LIV in October 2023 was “quite clear” with the position the board had found at the time.
“I would say that is still case,” Immelman said. “But until a new application is put in, there’s nothing really we can do about it. If the LIV Golf League is wanting to be part of the OWGR, then they need to go ahead and put another application in. That’s really where we are.”
Immelman said he has enjoyed getting to know O’Neil, whom he described as a “very smart guy who understands the business world in sport.”
“He’ll be the first to tell you he’s still learning the golf landscape,” Immelman said. “I’m sure he’ll do that quite fast.”
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