'The Ball Is In Their Court' - OWGR Chairman Plays Down LIV Golf Report

LIV Golf has not entered back into talks about becoming eligible for Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points despite recent reports.

That's according to OWGR chairman Trevor Immelman, who says that nothing has changed and LIV Golf has not put in another application, so the situations remains that "the ball is in their court".

A year after LIV Golf abandoned plans to secure world ranking points, talk began to circulate that the Saudi-backed team golf league was looking to get back into discussions with the OWGR.

A report from Sportico went further and suggested "advanced talks" were taking place between the two parties, but Immelman says that's very much not the case.

Immelman told the AP's Doug Ferguson that although he has spoken with new LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil on a casual basis, there has been no new application by the team golf league - which is the only way to get the ball rolling again.

“They have not put any application in. Whether that happens or not, I guess time will tell,” Immelman said as quoted by the Associated Press.

“I have enjoyed getting to know Scott O’Neil over the last few months. We’ve spoken on the phone a couple of times.

"We met in person at the Masters, just really introduction stuff. We’re in the same position we have been without any application from their side."

The original October 2023 rejection letter from the OWGR cited LIV Golf being too much of a closed shop and the team factor affecting the individual scoring as major problems.

“I would say that is still case,” Immelman said of the previous OWGR decision. “But until a new application is put in, there’s nothing really we can do about it.

"If the LIV Golf League is wanting to be part of the OWGR, then they need to go ahead and put another application in. That’s really where we are.”

LIV Golf withdrew the original application in May 2024 and Greg Norman stated they could progress without the need for ranking points.

If O'Neil now wants to get ranking points in some form to help with legitimising the tour long term - he first need to put the wheels in motion with another application.

“Our process is not to go chasing tours,” Immelman added. “We have an open door policy. Whoever wants to apply is more than welcome. There isn’t any pressure from our side. We allow these tours to figure out what their best strategy is.”

LIV Golf does have more avenues into the Majors now, which was a main reason behind seeking OWGR eligibility, so the need does not seem quite as urgent now.

It is only a limited number of places available into golf's big four events though, and with big name players and former Major champions seeing current exemptions expiring soon it could become a bigger issue.

It's clear from Immelman's comments though that firstly LIV Golf needs to officially come back to the table to try and solve the issues preventing them from OWGR points.