Report: Is LIV Thinking About Adding A Cut?

The Saudi-funded organisation is reportedly considering the move so it can finally offer Official World Golf Ranking points

Greg Norman during the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok tournament
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The final tournament in LIV Golf’s regular season will reportedly introduce a cut in a move it hopes will enable it to award players Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points.

According to popular Twitter account Flushing It, an account claimed to be run by an ex-pro with strong LIV contacts, the cut will be introduced in the final regular tournament taking place later this week in Jeddah as LIV Golf bids to satisfy OWGR requirements. It then added further details, claiming the move was at the request of the OWGR. 

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That followed an interview with LIV Golf Bangkok winner Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra conducted by Spanish journalist Hugo Costa, who mentioned there will be a cut at this week's event in a tweet highlighting the interview.

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Last week, the Saudi-backed venture linked up with the developmental MENA Tour in an effort to get around its long-standing OWGR status ineligibility. There were hopes that would take effect immediately starting with last week’s tournament in Bangkok. However, the OWGR were quick to deny LIV Golf the status, citing insufficient notice and explaining it needed to review the details of the strategic alliance before deciding whether it could offer OWGR points. 

That decision was met with dismay by MENA Tour Commissioner David Spencer, who reasoned LIV Golf should be granted the status, saying: “None of this communication pointed towards any technical reason for the LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok to be treated any differently to any MENA Tour event, every one of which has received OWGR since we were accepted into the OWGR framework in 2016."

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That marked the latest twist in a saga that has been running since the Series began in June. Last month, 50 LIV Golf players signed a letter addressed to OWGR chairman Peter Dawson urging a decision in LIV Golf’s favour. Meanwhile, LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman has also questioned the validity of the OWGR without the Saudi-backed venture being able to award its players points. He also recently slammed its board, claiming it hates LIV Golf.

LIV Golf’s no-cut format has been a known sticking point in preventing it from gaining OWGR status. However, if its considering addressing that issue in time for its final event of the regular season, the long-running saga may be about to draw to a close.

LIV Golf declined to comment on the report when contacted by Golf Monthly.

Mike Hall
Writer

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 


He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 


Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 


Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.