00:00 – Lee Westwood Slams Golf Ranking System as ‘Mockery’ Amid LIV Golf Points Controversy
04:23 – Tyrrell Hatton & Jon Rahm on LIV Golf’s World Ranking Bid | Golf News
07:26 – Lee Westwood & Justin Leonard Skyrocket in World Golf Rankings After The Open Championship 2025!
1. Lee Westwood Slams Golf Ranking System as ‘Mockery’ Amid LIV Golf Points Controversy
Lee Westwood blasts the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) system after jumping 3,759 spots to No. 930 despite LIV Golf events not awarding points. Westwood argues the system is flawed, citing his leap from a single T34 finish at The Open, while LIV players like Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau struggle to maintain rankings. LIV Golf has reapplied for OWGR accreditation, sparking debate over major qualification. Jon Rahm supports a strokes-gained metric over the current two-year points model. Will the OWGR system change?
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2. Tyrrell Hatton & Jon Rahm on LIV Golf’s World Ranking Bid | Golf News
Tyrrell Hatton and Jon Rahm are speaking out about LIV Golf’s new bid to gain recognition in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). The breakaway golf league, which has operated without OWGR points since 2022, is now seeking accreditation to improve player rankings and access to major tournaments. Hatton emphasizes the importance of fair rankings for top players, while Rahm criticizes the current system for not reflecting true performance. Both players highlight the need for a more accurate ranking method that accounts for consistent play across tours. This development could reshape the landscape of men’s professional golf, offering a better pathway for LIV players to compete in majors. With LIV’s recent signings and performances, the outcome of this bid could have significant implications for the sport.
Hatton, who maintains a strong OWGR position through DP World Tour and major performances, stresses the urgency of resolving the rankings issue. Rahm, LIV’s biggest signing, notes the flaws in the existing system and advocates for strokes gained data as a more reliable metric. Their statements underscore growing tensions between LIV Golf and traditional tours over fairness in competitive golf.
The OWGR application submitted by LIV could redefine how players are ranked globally, impacting everything from tournament eligibility to earnings. Fans and players alike are watching closely as the golf world weighs the benefits of a more inclusive ranking system.
3. Lee Westwood & Justin Leonard Skyrocket in World Golf Rankings After The Open Championship 2025!
Witness the incredible rise of golf legends Lee Westwood and Justin Leonard as they jump over 3,200 spots in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) after their strong performances at The 153rd Open Championship!
Discover how Westwood, a Ryder Cup icon, and Leonard, a former Claret Jug winner, defied the odds and climbed the rankings despite playing on tours without OWGR points.
Learn about their impressive rounds, the significance of their achievements, and what’s next for these veteran golfers.
Plus, find out which other players made big moves in the OWGR after The Open, including Harris English, Dustin Johnson, and Sergio Garcia.
Don’t miss this exciting breakdown of the latest golf rankings shakeup!
Lee Westward slams golf ranking system as a mockery amid LIIV golf points controversy. Golf fans, brace yourselves. There’s a storm brewing over the Sports World rankings and Lee Westwood is right at the center of the action. If you thought golf standings were just a matter of tallying up scores, you’re about to discover why the system is leaving players and fans shaking their heads. Let’s start with what sparked the current uproar. Lee Westwood, a seasoned veteran now with LIIV Golf, recently rocketed up an astonishing 3,759 places in the official World Golf Ranking, O WGR, after tying for 34th at the Open Championship. Think about that for a second. One single mid-range finish shot him to position 930, leaping over, among others, his own son, Sam, who grinds away in the low stakes world of miniurs and now sits at 2759. For Westwood, this is exhibit A in what he calls a mockery of the ranking system. But here’s where the controversy really heats up. Westwood isn’t just venting for the sake of it. He points out that many top level pros competing in the LIV Golf League are losing their footing in the global rankings for reasons that have little to do with their actual skill on the course. Since Liv’s inception, its players have had almost no access to the OWGR because their tournaments don’t grant points unless they compete in majors or certain international events outside of LIIV. LIIV first petitioned for official OWGR recognition in July 2022, but their request was denied and although they’ve reapplied, their status is still pending review. This is a big deal. Just ask Dustin Johnson, who not so long ago occupied the top spot in the world for 135 weeks. He tumbled as low as 97th before a strong showing last week bumped him up to 571st. Funny enough, the current top 50 includes just two LIV players, Bryson Dambo at number 16 and Tier Hatton at number 21. Both highly accomplished, but now representing an ever shrinking minority of their tour. Westwood is now publicly urging the major championships to rethink how they let players qualify, especially if the OGR continues to freeze out LIIV players. You want the best golfers at the biggest events, Westwood argues. If the ranking system isn’t fair, then majors might need to change how players get in. Imagine the Masters, the ultimate stage, possibly being forced to overhaul its own criteria to avoid missing out on huge talents. Does that sound drastic or justified? And this is the part most people miss. It’s not just a matter of inclusion or exclusion. The OWGR runs on what many like John Ram see as an outdated 2-year rolling system which locks players into their standing based on performances over the past 24 months. Have a bad month or skip a few events. It haunts your ranking for years. Yet both the OGR and independent analysts like Data Golf produce increasingly sophisticated metrics such as strokes gained, which many golfers believe offers a much trueer picture of who’s actually playing the best golf right now. The bottom line, for the foreseeable future, unless the rules change, most LIIV players can only rack up points when they step out of their own league to play majors or select other tournaments. That means qualifying for golf’s four crown jewel events, especially next April’s Masters, could slip out of reach for many of the games biggest names. Even LIIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neal sounds cautiously optimistic that some movement might come before the 2026 season. For Tier Hatton, it’s all about fairness. There are so many guys here whose world rankings don’t remotely match their ability, he says, echoing a sentiment you’d find up and down the LIIV roster. The sooner these rankings start reflecting reality again, the better for golf as a sport. But now it’s your turn. Do you believe LIV players are getting a raw deal? Or should the traditional ranking system take precedence even if it means leaving some elite talent out in the cold? Could the majors maintain their reputation if they exclude stars simply because of a technicality in the point system? Drop your arguments, support or criticisms below, and let’s open the floor to the toughest debate in golf right now. Tier Hatton and John Ram on LIV Golf’s World Ranking Big Golf News. The world of professional golf is shaking up. And here’s the heart of the storm. Renowned players Tier Hatton and John Ram are speaking out on the controversial issue of world rankings. While LIIV Golf makes its bold push for official recognition. Since its inception in 2022, LIIV Golf has operated without offering world ranking points, a decision that has dramatically affected its roster of players and their standings. Now, the league is challenging the status quo by submitting a new application for accreditation to the official World Golf Ranking OGR system. But here’s where it gets controversial. While many golfers have seen their rankings slip due to the absence of official points, Hatton has managed to hold a respectable position thanks to his consistent and impressive showings on the DP World Tour and in major championships. Although his performance has kept him relatively secure, the reality is that without a victory, his access to these prestigious tournaments could soon be at risk. At a recent LIIV golf event in Europe, both Hatton and Rahm voiced their opinions on the future of the world rankings. Hatton expressed that a more realistic and inclusive system is essential not only for players on the breakaway circuit but for the entire realm of men’s professional golf. He pointed out that many top level golfers are currently underrepresented in the rankings because the system doesn’t accurately reflect their abilities. His idea is straightforward. If a revised pathway could better showcase their talents, then everyone in the sport would undoubtedly benefit. John Ram, who became one of LIIV Golf’s marquee signings at the end of 2023, offered a similar critique, but with an interesting twist. Even before his move to LIIV, Rahm was openly critical of the OGR system, arguing that the 2-year ranking frame can unfairly penalize a player for a few off weeks. In his view, alternative metrics like strokes gain provide a more precise measurement of a golfer’s true performance over time. The current approach can lock in a player’s ranking based on a few bad weeks, even if they are among the elite over a longer period, Rahm explained. He elaborated that while both the traditional ranking system and newer datadriven models like those from data golf generally show similar results at the top, the strokes gain figure is often a better indicator of who is truly performing at a high level. This divergence in perspectives raises some tough questions. Should the golf world be open to a revised ranking system that more accurately reflects a player’s skill and current form? Is the current OWGR framework outdated in an era where data analytics are revolutionizing how performance is measured? Many fans and experts are divided on this issue and it invites a lively debate among the golfing community. What are your thoughts? Do you agree with the need for a change or do you believe the traditional system remains the best yard stick for evaluating players? Stay tuned as the debate continues to unfold and the future of professional golf rankings hangs in the balance. Lee Westwood and Justin Leonard skyrocket in world golf rankings after the Open Championship 2025. Imagine this. Two golf legends, Lee Westwood and Justin Leonard, skyrocketing over 3,200 spots in the World Golf Rankings after a stellar performance at the Open Championship. But here’s where it gets controversial. Their significant jumps aren’t just about their skills on the course. Let’s dive in. At the 153rd Open Championship, Scotty Sheffller stole the show, claiming the prestigious Clarret Jug with a dominant performance. This victory moved the world number one closer to the elusive career grand slam. But while Sheffller was making headlines, other players were making massive strides in the rankings. Among them, Ryder Cup icon Lee Westwood and former champion golfer of the year Justin Leonard stood out. Westwood, making his first open championship appearance since 2022, qualified through final qualifying, topping the standings at Donn Lynx. His rounds of 69 and 70 on Thursday and Friday secured his spot in the competition, sitting comfortably at three under after 36 holes. Although he struggled over the weekend, finishing in a tie for 34th, his strong start was enough to catapult him from 4,689th to 930th in the official World Golf Ranking, O WGR, a jaw-dropping rise of 3,759 spots. Leonard, who won the Claret Jug in 1997 and has a lifetime exemption into the Open until he turned 60, also had a remarkable showing after missing the cut in 2024. The 53-year-old fived rounds of 70 and 73 to make the cut on the number. Playing his first weekend at the Open since 2013, Leonard carded further rounds of 70 and 73 to finish to overpar, sharing 59th place. The payoff, a $41,550 paycheck and a significant jump in the OGR from $4,689th to 1,436th, a rise of 3,253 places. But why such dramatic jumps? The answer lies in the circuits they play on. Westwood is part of the LIIV Golf League, while Leonard is on the PGA Tour Champions. Neither circuit awards OWGR points, meaning these golfers can only earn points from the 24 eligible golf tours. And this is the part most people miss. The OGR system can be manipulated, and these jumps highlight the flaws in the ranking system. Looking ahead, Leonard will carry this momentum into the senior Open, starting at Sunningale on July 24th. Westwood, meanwhile, will tee off at LIIV Golf UK at the JCB Golf and Country Club on July 25th, playing for his Mage Sticks GC side. But here’s a thought-provoking question. Should the OGR system be reformed to better reflect true golfing prowess, or is the current system fair? And what do you think about the significant jumps in rankings based on playing in just one tournament? Other notable movers in the OGR include Harris English who jumped from 19th to 8th after finishing second, Dustin Johnson moving from 969th to 571st, and Sergio Garcia from 467th to 370th, Henrik Stenson, Westwood’s mate’s GC teammate, jumped 680 spots to 969th, while Phil Mckelson moved from 1,252nd to 924th. These shifts underscore the dynamic nature of golf rankings and the impact of a single tournament. But do these jumps truly reflect the players skills or are they more about the systems loopholes? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
