ORLANDO, Fla. — Trevor Immelman mentioned Friday that he’s in fixed contact with the CEO of LIV Golf in his position as chairman of the Official World Golf Rating because the board tries to work by way of points that embody how the Saudi-funded circuit populates its 54-man league.
LIV Golf has not acquired world rating factors because it launched in June 2022, and solely six of its gamers are among the many high 100 on the earth from factors earned in majors or occasions on the Asian Tour or European tour.
LIV’s first utility to be a part of the OWGR system was rejected in October 2023. It filed a brand new utility final summer time underneath Scott O’Neil, the chief govt officer employed to exchange Greg Norman.
Immelman, a former Masters champion and now a CBS golf analyst, took over as OWGR champion in April. He mentioned he speaks recurrently with O’Neil and even texted with him throughout his pro-am Friday on the PNC Championship.
„We have been all working onerous collectively, attempting to get solutions, attempting to determine what they need to do,“ Immelman mentioned. „They’re attempting to determine how their league goes to be evolving. They’ve determined to go to 72 holes. They’ll be rising their area a bit bit, it seems, from what I have been informed, and will presumably need to develop even additional.
„It is a very collaborative course of proper now between Scott and I and our board to determine it out.“
LIV Golf’s subsequent season begins Feb. 4 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. When requested if a call might be reached earlier than then, Immelman replied, „I feel there’s an opportunity.“
LIV began with 54-hole occasions with no cuts however determined to go to 72 holes for the 2026 season. Immelman mentioned what number of holes are performed has by no means been a giant difficulty.
As an alternative, he pointed towards how the 24 excursions which might be a part of the OWGR function, leaning into the idea of meritocracy.
LIV Golf lastly had some notable turnover this yr, with 49-year-old Henrik Stenson amongst six gamers who completed out of the highest 48 and had been relegated out of the league.
Luis Masaveu, a 23-year-old from Spain, was signed to the Fireballs group this yr. He performed eight LIV occasions, was changed by former U.S. Newbie champion Josele Ballester, performed seven Problem Tour occasions in Europe and not using a high 10, after which was re-signed to LIV for 2026.
„While you take a look at the OWGR and the way it’s made up of eligible excursions all over the world … it is about meritocracy,“ Immelman mentioned. „That is one of many beauties of our sport, is incomes your means onto a tour, preventing to maintain your job on that tour.
„And so it is actually been alongside these traces of working with them on understanding their league from that standpoint — meritocracy, promotion and relegation and simply actually on the finish of the day, the self-selection side of how their league is made up.“
Immelman doesn’t have a vote as chairman. He mentioned the seven-member board decides on excursions becoming a member of the OWGR. Not like the final vote, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and European tour CEO Man Kinnings have a say. They had been recused from the earlier OWGR dialogue involving LIV, partly as a result of there was ongoing litigation throughout these conferences.
The opposite board members symbolize Augusta Nationwide, The R&A, the USGA, PGA of America and different excursions.
LIV Golf lured away a number of high gamers with large signing bonuses when it launched in 2022 and it has been considered as a closed store. Just one participant made it into the league from a promotions occasion for this season. For 2026, two gamers had been taken from the Asian Tour Worldwide Collection and two extra will get spots by way of LIV’s model of Q-school subsequent month.
It additionally has signed Victor Perez of France and Laurie Canter of England for subsequent season.
„If a selected league needs to get factors, we’ve got longstanding laws that each different eligible tour has abided by with a view to be a part of the OWGR,“ Immelman mentioned. „Meritocracy is a giant side of that, the way you get promoted and relegated on and off of the tour. Actually, that is been a big a part of what I have been speaking to Scott about.“
World rating factors are seen as important to the credibility of LIV Golf, and to assist its members get into the majors, all of which depend on the OWGR as a part of their standards. LIV gamers get rating factors solely on the majors and once they play different circuits exterior the PGA Tour, which has banned them.
