"They are a closed shop" - Fans react to OWGR's latest statement on LIV Golf

The OWGR recently shared the latest update regarding the status of LIV Golf's application. The official ranking points organization stated they were committed to thoroughly evaluating the application and were working closely with the Saudi-backed circuit.

Earlier this year, LIV Golf reapplied for OWGR points after its first application was rejected. Recently, it also changed its format and will now host 72 hole events instead of 54 but the OWGR's decision is still pending .

On Tuesday, December 31, the OWGR shared the latest update on LIV's ranking bid.

"The Governing Board of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) today provided an update to its review of the LIV Golf application and announced a change to how scheduled 54-hole events and Curtailed Events will be treated within the Ranking's calculation," the statment read.

Trevor Immelman, OWGR chairman also shared more details regarding the LIV's application status.

"Since the end of June, the Governing Board has endeavoured to thoroughly evaluate the LIV Golf application," he said in official statement. "We remain committed to the OWGR's mission, which requires honouring the meritocracy woven into the professional game. As such, discussions have been regular and remain ongoing." "To be clear, progress has been made, but there is no decision to share at this time. We will continue to work closely with LIV Golf as it continues to evolve to ensure its application is handled with fairness, integrity and consistency, as stated previously," he concluded.

Fans online had mixed reactions to the OWGR's latest statement on LIV's bid. Many fans criticized them for the vague statement, while some were not in favor of them receiving points.

Here is a look at some reactions:

"They are still a closed shop. Signing players without any qualification process," one fan wrote. "Trying there hardest find a way tk say no lol. What a crock of shit the owgr is. Truly embarassing," another fan posted. "Time for PIF to take OWGR to court for colluding to protect the PGA Tour," this fan commented. "Brooks saw the writing on the wall and others are seeing it now as well. If you think there's a chance that liv gets OWGR points in the next two months, I've got a bridge to sell you." "They all be back on the pga tour soon anyways," another fan opined. "WGR is pointless. It is equivalent to picking a national champion in college football before the BCS," one user remarked.

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LIV Golf's 2026 season explored

LIV Golf will begin the 2026 season with the LIV Promotions event. The four-day tournament will be played from January 8 to 11 at Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto, Florida.

The new LIV's season will kick off on February 7 with an event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The league will next head to Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore. This year, South Africa will also host a new event, while Mexico will be another stop for the Saudi-backed circuit. Virginia, South Korea, Spain, Louisiana, England, and Indianapolis are other venues for the new season.

Edited by Shobhit Kukreti