Jon Rahm has welcomed LIV Golf League occasions lastly being awarded world rating factors however believes “there’s work to be done” to deal with a ruling that “doesn’t seem fair”.
The Official World Golf Rating (OWGR) confirmed on Tuesday that it might recognise LIV Golf for the primary time, forward of its fifth season beginning in Saudi Arabia this week, though solely the highest 10 finishers at its occasions shall be awarded world rating factors.
LIV Golf described the announcement as a “long overdue moment of recognition” however one which “disproportionately harms players who consistently perform at a high level but finish just outside that threshold”, with these ending eleventh or worse in a 57-man subject nonetheless incomes no factors.
Tyrrell Hatton and Rahm can now begin incomes world rating factors from LIV Golf occasions
The OWGR stated there are “a number of areas” the place LIV Golf doesn’t meet eligibility requirements, regardless of growing occasions to 72 holes and making modifications to their relegation, though it’s issuing rating factors “in an effort to reflect the changing landscape of the men’s professional game”.
“It’s fantastic that we’re being recognised in a way,” Rahm stated after his opening spherical in Riyadh. “With that stated, I do not like how we’re not being handled the identical as each different tour.
“It looks like the foundations which were in place do not actually apply to us, with solely 10 of us getting factors. It would not appear truthful. The small fields on the market all through the course of the yr, their gamers get full factors.
“There’s work to be executed. Whereas it is good for some individuals, it might trigger some gamers to really lose world rating factors as an alternative of gaining them as a result of ending eleventh is mainly a missed lower, and we’re already including to the divisor.
“But I’m thankful that I would say LIV Golf got their foot in the door, and there’s a possibility for us to walk in the room and be recognised as a tour, as we should be.”
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Rory McIlroy beforehand described LIV Golf’s determination to broaden its occasions to 72 holes as ‘peculiar’
Rahm’s views have been backed up by former Ryder Cup stars Martin Kaymer and Ian Poulter, who each questioned the rating factors being restricted to such a small proportion of LIV Golf line-ups.
“Mixed views,” Poulter stated on Wednesday. “I think first and foremost, it’s good to have LIV recognised finally. After all these years, we should be getting points, so that’s a massive plus.
“On the flip aspect, I am not about positive the algorithm that they’ve used to determine the factors.”
Kaymer added: “On one hand, it’s great that we’re tapped in and that we have a chance now to get world ranking points. It has been a long time coming for us and I believe it is a step in the right direction.
“Alternatively, it might have been good for extra gamers will get extra world rating factors. Ending eleventh to fifteenth in some occasions is a superb effort, is an effective achievement, but it provides you zero factors. That is the draw back of it.
“I think we should focus on the positives – it’s a step in the right direction and let’s see where we can go from here.”
LIV Golf’s full assertion to world rating replace
The complete assertion by LIV Golf, issued on Tuesday after the OWGR introduced its replace, stated: “The stated mission of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) is to ‘administer and publish a transparent, credible, and accurate ranking based on the relative performances of players participating in male Eligible Golf Tours worldwide’.
“We acknowledge this lengthy overdue second of recognition, which affirms the elemental precept that efficiency on the course ought to matter, no matter the place the competitors takes place.
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“However, 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 factors to solely the highest 10 finishers disproportionately harms gamers who persistently carry out at a excessive stage however end simply exterior that threshold, in addition to rising expertise working to ascertain themselves on the world stage-precisely the gamers a good and meritocratic rating system is designed to recognise.
“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.
“We entered this course of in good religion and can proceed to advocate for a rating system that displays efficiency over affiliation. The sport deserves transparency. The followers deserve credibility. And the gamers deserve a system that treats them equally.”
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