OWGR Announce 54-Hole Tour To Get World Rankings Points - And It's Not LIV
The Official World Golf Ranking has announced the 54-hole Clutch Pro Tour is eligible for world ranking points
The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) has announced that the Clutch Pro Tour has been granted access to world ranking points.
The Clutch Pro Tour, currently known as the Mizuno Next Gen Series, is a developmental tour series in England that was formed in 2019.
It's a direct feeder organisation for the Challenge Tour, taking over from the now extinct PGA EuroPro Tour, and has been working with the OWGR for the last 17 months.
Getting OWGR access is a hot topic in golf with LIV Golf trying and failing to get recognition before saying they'd ended the process.
Despite the Clutch Pro Tour also being a 54-hole series, the fact they have a 36-hole cut and provide both a qualifying series into it and a pathway for progression onto the Challenge Tour meant it gained OWGR access.
"After a 17-month-long application process, in which the Tour worked continuously toward the standards required to become an OWGR Eligible Golf Tour, the Clutch Pro Tour will become an OWGR Eligible Golf Tour from Week 17, week ending 28th April 2024, and its official Tier 1 tournaments, in accordance with OWGR regulations, will be eligible for inclusion in the ranking," read a OWGR statement.
"The Clutch Pro Tour provides access to its official tournaments, conducted over 54 holes with a 36-hole cut, via its 2024 qualifying series held in the UAE and, for its 2025 season, an annual open qualifying school.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
"It also provides local and regional players opportunities, culminating with a no-cut, season-ending Championship. As such, the Clutch Pro Tour is in keeping with long-standing OWGR Eligibility and Format Criteria.
"The Clutch Pro Tour has played a pivotal role in the United Kingdom – particularly since the closure of the EuroPro Tour.
"Its organization has provided the continuation of playing opportunities and pathways for players to progress to the European Challenge Tour and the DP World Tour."
OWGR AnnouncementRead more here - https://t.co/7J4bFpawqv#OWGR#OfficialWorldGolfRanking pic.twitter.com/ZfBJWCFAm8April 25, 2024
The news will not go down too well with LIV Golf players and supporters, who have been calling for OWGR recognition from the beginning.
The OWGR has said though that a reluctance to introduce more comprehensive promotion and relegation into the LIV Golf League making it a closed shop was a stumbling block - as was the team element.
The fact the OWGR was also at pains to point out the 17-month period of working with the Clutch Pro Tour could be seen as a message to LIV boss Greg Norman that he should have continued the discussions if he was serious about ranking points.
There was no mention of LIV Golf in the press release, with OWGR chairman Peter Dawson just relaying what an achievement it was for the Clutch Pro Tour.
“This is a significant milestone for golf, and OWGR is deeply encouraged by the achievement and the continued efforts in developing the sport of golf in the United Kingdom," said Dawson.
"We look forward to watching the progress of the Clutch Pro Tour as it continues to play a key role in the development of players from the region."
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.
-
LIV Golfers 'Good Enough To Get In' Are Welcome At US Open 'With Open Arms'
USGA boss Mike Whan will welcome LIV Golf players with open arms into the US Open - if they are good enough to qualify
By Paul Higham Published
-
5 Expert Short Game Tips From One Of The Top Players On The PGA Tour
Struggling around the greens? Sahith Theegala shares 5 top short game tips to help you become a wizard with the wedge...
By Garrett Johnston Published
-
LIV Golfers 'Good Enough To Get In' Are Welcome At US Open 'With Open Arms'
USGA boss Mike Whan will welcome LIV Golf players with open arms into the US Open - if they are good enough to qualify
By Paul Higham Published
-
Phil Can Still Thrill - Watch Mickelson Smoke A Driver Off The Deck At LIV Golf Singapore
Phil Mickelson showed he can still be box office viewing with a pure driver off the deck in Singapore
By Paul Higham Published
-
Two Thirds Of The Entire LIV Field Hoping To Join Tiger Woods At US Open By Entering Final Qualifying
There are 35 LIV Golf League players who have entered Final Qualifying for the 2024 US Open at Pinehurst
By Paul Higham Published
-
'Not Very Good' - Brooks Koepka Issues Worrying Verdict On His Game Ahead Of PGA Championship Defence
Brooks Koepka admitted he is running out of time to find the magic formula before his PGA Championship defence at Valhalla
By Ben Fleming Published
-
'It’s Toward Its End' - Phil Mickelson Drops Major Retirement Hint
Phil Mickelson is well into the back nine of his career and hinted he may soon begin to consider retiring from the sport
By Ben Fleming Published
-
LIV Golf Will Be 'Bigger, Badder And Better Than Ever' - DeChambeau And Mickelson Bullish Over Future
Bryson DeChambeau says LIV Golf will get "bigger and badder" in the future while Phil Mickelson believes the tour will help grow the game in new global markets
By Paul Higham Published
-
LIV Golf Singapore Prize Money Payout 2024
There’s another eye-catching prize money payout available at the second LIV Golf event in a week at Sentosa Golf Club
By Mike Hall Published
-
Ronnie O’Sullivan Admits He ‘Would Love To See A LIV-Style Breakaway’ At 2024 World Snooker Championship
The Englishman has admitted the emergence of LIV Golf in the men’s elite game is something he’d like to see come to top-level snooker
By Mike Hall Published