LIV Golf’s long fight for Official World Golf Ranking points may have finally brought partial success, but the Saudi-backed league is far from satisfied with how the system will work in 2026.
Despite securing OWGR recognition for the upcoming season, LIV has taken issue with the decision to award ranking points only to the top 10 finishers in each event. The league had made several changes in recent months including moving to a 72-hole format, expanding fields, and introducing stronger promotion and relegation pathways, all in hopes of meeting OWGR standards.
However, the OWGR Governing Board ruled that LIV events will be classified as “Small Field Tournaments,” meaning only players finishing inside the top 10 in individual stroke play competitions will earn world ranking points. The decision was based on the league still falling short of several eligibility requirements.
In response, LIV Golf released a strong statement criticizing the ruling.
“This outcome is unprecedented. Under these rules, a player finishing 11th in a LIV Golf event is treated the same as a player finishing 57th. Limiting points to only the top 10 finishers disproportionately harms players who consistently perform at a high level but finish just outside that threshold, as well as emerging talent working to establish themselves on the world stage—precisely the players a fair and meritocratic ranking system is designed to recognize.
“No other competitive tour or league in OWGR history has been subjected to such a restriction. We expect this is merely a first step toward a structure that fully and fairly serves the players, the fans, and the future of the sport.”
The lack of ranking points over the past few years has taken a major toll on LIV players. Many have slipped down the world rankings, making qualification for major championships increasingly difficult.
Currently, Tyrrell Hatton is the highest ranked LIV player at world No. 22, largely due to points earned through DP World Tour events. Meanwhile, Jon Rahm, once a world No. 1, has fallen to No. 97 since joining the breakaway league.
LIV chief executive Scott O’Neil has pushed hard for full OWGR recognition since taking over leadership from Greg Norman last year. But OWGR chairman Trevor Immelman defended the board’s position.
“We fully recognised the need to rank the top men’s players in the world but at the same time had to find a way of doing so that was equitable to the thousands of other players competing on other tours that operate with established meritocratic pathways.”
LIV Golf had originally applied for OWGR points shortly after launching in 2022 but was rejected due to its 54 hole format, no cut structure, limited fields and lack of open qualification.The tour later withdrew its application in 2023 before reapplying after restructuring its competition model.
While the league clearly remains unhappy with the new OWGR rules, LIV Golf now turns its attention to the start of the 2026 season, which begins tomorrow in Riyadh.
What’s new for the 2026 LIV Golf season
As LIV Golf enters its fifth season, several updates have been introduced across teams, players, and leadership. From fresh faces joining the league to rebranded teams and new captains, the 2026 season brings noticeable changes. Here’s a look at what’s new.
Player debuts
Ten golfers will make their full time LIV Golf debut in 2026:
- Thomas Detry (Belgium) – 4Aces GC
- Victor Perez (France) – Cleeks Golf Club
- Michael La Sasso (USA) – HyFlyers GC
- Byeong Hun An (Korea) – Korean Golf Club
- Minkyu Kim (Korea) – Korean Golf Club
- Younghan Song (Korea) – Korean Golf Club
- Elvis Smylie (Australia) – Ripper GC
- Yosuke Asaji (Japan) – Wild Card
- Björn Hellgren (Sweden) – Wild Card
- Richard Lee (Canada) – Wild Card
Out of the 10 players, eight will be competing in a LIV Golf League event for the first time. Minkyu Kim and Younghan Song each made one appearance as reserve players in 2025.
Team identity changes
- Korean Golf Club has rebranded from Iron Heads GC and introduced new branding along with major roster changes that include three Korean players.
- Southern Guards GC is the new name for Stinger GC, with updated branding that reflects the team’s South African roots.
- Majesticks Golf Club has refreshed its logo and color scheme and now features a lineup made up entirely of English born players.
New captains
- Talor Gooch, the 2023 LIV Golf Individual Champion, has been named captain of Smash GC.
- Byeong Hun An takes over as captain of the rebranded Korean Golf Club.
Returning players
- Scott Vincent is back as a wild card after winning the International Series title.
- Luis Masaveu returns to the Fireballs GC lineup after featuring in the opening stretch of last season.
- Laurie Canter comes back as a full-time member with Majesticks GC, where he previously began his LIV Golf journey.
- Anthony Kim earns his place back in the league after finishing inside the top three at LIV Golf Promotions.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, hockey, golf, baseball and more!