Beginning in 2026, LIV Golf will finally be awarded Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, ending a dispute that lasted nearly four years. The breakthrough, however, comes with strict limitations that fundamentally shape how LIV players can climb the world rankings.

The Official World Golf Ranking board has classified LIV events as “Small Field Tournaments.” As a result, only the top 10 finishers in each individual stroke-play event will receive ranking points. Any player finishing 11th or lower earns zero points, making a mid-field result statistically equivalent to finishing last.

This unprecedented restriction is directly tied to LIV Golf’s current structure. For the 2026 season, LIV events feature 57-player fields, well below the OWGR’s typical minimum expectation of 75 players. In addition, LIV tournaments remain strictly no-cut, meaning every player competes through all rounds, unlike traditional tours where a cut is made after 36 holes. The OWGR also cited restricted and non-merit-based eligibility pathways, noting that player access is not always determined purely by competitive performance.

From the OWGR’s perspective, these factors prevent LIV events from being evaluated on the same competitive scale as PGA Tour or DP World Tour tournaments. The limited point allocation was therefore introduced as a corrective measure to protect ranking integrity while still allowing LIV players some access to the system.

LIV Golf has sharply criticized the decision, arguing that the top-10 cutoff undervalues strong performances just outside that range and is unmatched anywhere else in professional golf. No other recognized tour sees world ranking points stop so abruptly.

Importantly, the OWGR decision was not influenced by any shift to a 72-hole format. The approved 2026 LIV season remains no-cut with smaller fields, and the application succeeded only because the OWGR chose to accommodate the existing format through a restricted classification rather than granting full recognition.

The board emphasized that this is an initial agreement. The framework may evolve in future seasons, but only if LIV Golf addresses the structural concerns raised. According to the sources, meaningful change would likely require:

• Larger field sizes closer to OWGR standards

• Introduction of a cut after 36 holes

• Clear, merit-based qualification pathways

Until then, LIV Golf players face a stark reality: world ranking progress in 2026 will depend almost entirely on consistent top-10 finishes, making every position inside that line disproportionately valuable—and every position outside it effectively invisible to the rankings system.

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