Jon Rahm Unhappy With LIV Golf OWGR Points Split

Jon Rahm at the LIV Golf Saudi Arabia event at Riyadh GC

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Individual LIV Golf champion Jon Rahm welcomed the awarding of Official World Golf Ranking points, but says they have not gone far enough.

The Spaniard, who finished top of the standings in 2024 and 2025, is unhappy that only the top 10 finishers at each LIV Golf event will be awarded OWGR points.

"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," LIV Golf added.

And Rahm agrees with that stance, saying he was unhappy that LIV was being treated differently to other tours around the world.

“Yeah, it's fantastic that we're getting points," said Rahm during the first round in Riyadh. "It's fantastic that we're being recognised in a way.

“With that said, I don't like how we're not being treated the same as every other tour. It seems like the rules that have been in place aren’t really applied to us, with only 10 of us getting points. It doesn't seem fair."

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Jon Rahm wearing a pink cap and black polo while resting his hand on his driver

Rahm cited other small field events, possibly referring to the likes of the Hero World Challenge and certain Signature Events on the PGA Tour that have smaller fields but a wider points distribution.

The two-time Major champion wants more points to be awarded, but is at least thankful that the ball is rolling with the OWGR breakthrough.

"There are small fields out there throughout the course of the year that get full points," Rahm added.

“While it's good for some people. It could cost some players to actually lose world ranking points, instead of gain them. Because finishing in 11th is basically a missed cut and we're already adding to the devisor.

“But I'm thankful that LIV golf got their foot on the door, and there's a possibility for us to walk in the room and be recognised as a tour, as we should be.”

For its part, the OWGR said the team tour did not meet certain aspects in its criteria including field size, no-cut events and pathways - so it remains to be seen if any future LIV changes will be made.

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Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.

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