00:00 – Lee Westwood Criticizes Official World Golf Ranking After Open Championship Finish
02:42 – Jon Rahm & Lee Westwood Slam OWGR System Ahead of Ryder Cup
1. Lee Westwood Criticizes Official World Golf Ranking After Open Championship Finish
Lee Westwood, a veteran golfer on the LIV Golf tour, recently jumped 3,759 spots to No. 930 on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) list after his performance at The Open Championship. Westwood criticizes the OWGR system, arguing that it undervalues LIV Golf players who are not awarded ranking points. He highlights the importance of including LIV Golf events in the OWGR to ensure the best players qualify for major championships. Westwood and other LIV Golf stars like Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau have seen significant drops in their rankings due to the current system. The LIV Golf league’s application for OWGR accreditation is under review.
2. Jon Rahm & Lee Westwood Slam OWGR System Ahead of Ryder Cup
Leading golfers Jon Rahm and Lee Westwood criticize the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) system, calling it flawed and a mockery for LIV Golf players. With the Ryder Cup approaching, they demand fair qualification criteria. Learn why this issue affects players like Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Tyrrell Hatton.
Lee Westwood criticizes official world golf ranking after open championship finish. Lee Westwood’s recent success at the Open Championship has propelled him up the official World Golf Ranking OGR, but it’s also sparked a heated debate about the ranking system itself. Westwood, a seasoned golfer who now plays on the Live Golf Tour, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the OWGR, claiming that it makes a mockery of the system. Westwood’s impressive finish at the Open Championship, where he tied for 34th place, catapulted him up the rankings by a staggering 3,759 spots, placing him at number 930. This achievement has allowed him to surpass his son Sam, who currently sits at 2,759th on the list. However, Westwood argues that this is precisely why the OWGR’s ranking method is flawed. I think it just proves that without world ranking points, it makes a bit of a mockery of the system,” Westwood said on Wednesday at Live Golf’s UK event. Westwood is not alone in his criticism of the OWGR. Many LIV golf stars, including Dustin Johnson and Bryson Desau, believe that their events should be included within the OGR. However, the league’s latest application for accreditation is currently under review. LIIV Golf had initially tried to get accreditation when the league began in 2022, but it was denied. As a result, LIIV golfers cannot earn themselves OWGR points unless they play in major championships or international tour events. Take Dustin Johnson for example. He is only 571st on the list, but that’s due to finishing tied 23rd at the Open. Johnson was once the world’s number one golfer for 135 weeks, but since joining LIV, he has plummeted in standings. Only Bryson Desimbo, 16th, and Tier Hatton, 21st, are in the top 50 in the OGR rankings. Other golf stars like John Rom and Patrick Reed don’t crack that upper echelon despite their solid play. Westwood argues that the OGR should be revised to ensure that the best players in the world are represented in major championships. I think mainly it relates back to wanting the best players in the major championships. Not wanting this conversation where there’s a few people missing out because we don’t get world raking points on LIV. Westwood said Hatton has also been vocal about his fellow LIV golf players getting credited for their work in the league, especially when it comes to qualifying for major tournaments. I think there’s a lot of guys out here that you certainly want to be playing in majors. If there’s a better pathway for that for us, then that’s brilliant. Hatton said. So, what do you think? Should LIIV golf events be included in the OWGR, or is the current system fair and accurate? Let us know in the comments below. John Rom and Lee Westwood slam OWGr system ahead of Ryder Cup. John Rom and Lee Westwood criticize the OGR system as RDER Cup selection approaches. As the major golf season comes to a close, we find ourselves just 64 days away from the highly anticipated RDER Cup at Beth Page Black. For many golfers, this marks a crucial time to secure their positions before the BMW Championship next month after which the automatic qualifiers will be finalized. However, this opportunity is not available to players from Live Golf. Unlike their counterparts on the PGA and DP World Tours, Live Golf participants are still barred from earning official World Golf ranking OWGr points. while competing in events organized by their own league. This ongoing issue has sparked considerable frustration among players with the latest criticism coming from English golfer Lee Westwood who currently sits at number 930 in the OGR. Westwood calls the OGR system a mockery. After finishing tied for 34th at the Open, Westwood made a significant leap of 3,759 spots in the OGR, surpassing his son Sam, who was ranked 2759th as a mini tour player. During a press conference for Live Golf UK, Westwood remarked that this situation just proves that without world ranking points, it makes a bit of a mockery of the system. With limited avenues to accumulate ranking points through the DP World Tour and other sanctioned events, live golf players continue to face challenges in their standings. For instance, Dustin Johnson, who was once the world number one for an impressive 135 weeks, fell to number 97 before a T-23 finish at the Open allowed him to climb back to number 571. Notably among the top 50 players only Bryson Deambo number 16 and Tierl Hatton number 21 are from Livolf. In the same press conference, Westwood praised Liv’s second submission for WGR points under the leadership of new CEO Scott O’Neal, but he cautioned that time is of the essence. He emphasized the importance of having the best players in major championships and expressed concern about the ongoing discussions regarding the absence of world ranking points for Liv players. We either start to get world ranking points on live or the major championships have to revise their qualification system. He stated, “Some seem willing to adapt while others appear hesitant. A separate qualification system for live players is not something anyone desires. We want the unified system. Rom joins the chorus of descent. John Rom, who made the switch to live in December 2023, echoed Westwood sentiments. He has been a vocal critic of the OWGR’s 2-year rolling system, which he believes unfairly penalizes players for temporary downturns in performance while rewarding those who strategically choose their playing schedules. I thought it was flawed even before I joined, and I made my opinions known. Rom shared with reporters during the same conference. The world ranking than Gada Gulf’s strokes gained ranking provide a more accurate reflection of who is truly performing well. The 2-year ranking system can hold you back for an extended period due to a few poor weeks. He further elaborated on how players can manipulate the system by selectively participating in certain tournaments which can skew the accuracy of the rankings. While it may be somewhat accurate, it’s not the best representation of performance. Strokes gained is usually a better indicator of how everyone is truly playing. Hatton highlights the talent ranking discrepancy. The conversation did not end there as Tier Hatton, who finished T16 at the Open, pointed out the disconnect between a player’s talent and their ranking. There are many players here who deserve to compete in majors. If there’s a better pathway for us, that would be fantastic. He stated during the same media session. Many players current world rankings do not accurately reflect their golfing abilities. Hatton continued, “The sooner the world rankings can become more realistic, the better it will be for the sport.” As Ryder Cup hopefuls like Hatton and Westwood face the risk of losing their hard-earned standings, the absence of OWGr points looms large. With LiveGOLF UK set to commence this Friday, the dialogue surrounding rankings and qualification is bound to intensify. Engage with us. What are your thoughts on the current OWGR system? Do you believe it fairly represents the players abilities? Share your opinions in the comments below.
