Jon Rahm has tumbled out of the top 50 in golf’s world rankings, continuing his sharp decline since joining LIV Golf. The two-time major champion made headlines when he switched from the PGA Tour in December 2023, but Rahm dug out the rankings system when he was still No.3 in the world.
Having been world No.1 for a cumulative 52 weeks, Rahm has performed well since signing with LIV, but his opposition to the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) became more notable as his positioning suffered due to LIV events not offering ranking points. Rahm’s participation in majors and select DP World Tour events failed to prevent his fall to 52nd place this week.
It is the first time he slipped out of the top 50 since 2017. While still third-ranked, the Spaniard openly challenged the fairness of the OWGR points system following the withdrawal of LIV’s bid for ranking points in March 2024.
“I’m going to be honest, I didn’t know they were still trying to get World Ranking points,” Rahm admitted. “But the one thing I can say is I’m going to back to what I said two years ago in the DP World Tour Championship.
“I didn’t think it was a good system back then. And if anything, the more time that goes on, the more it proves to be wrong.
“Our job shouldn’t be to make the rules or impose the rules or enforce the rules. We’re here to entertain. It’s the governing bodies’ job to be doing this and be adaptable to the changing environment.”
Last year, Rahm’s best major finish was a T7 at The Open. Despite not clinching a third major, his previous wins mean he is automatically eligible to compete at the US Open until 2031 and has secured a permanent invitation to the Masters. Moreover, he is exempt from qualifying for The Open and the PGA Championship until 2029.
Nonetheless, not all of Rahm’s LIV Golf peers have the cushion of a major win to ensure their entry into these prestigious tournaments. Rahm voiced his disapproval of the OWGR denying points for LIV events earlier this month.
“I think at this point to not give LIV world ranking points and the credibility it deserves, I think is wrong,” Rahm argued. “Listen, I understand we’ve all made a decision and it’s not as easy as it sounds, but to say that LIV players don’t deserve some spots in major championships I think is wrong and I hope that evolves into what it should be, right.
“There should be a way for us to qualify. And the world ranking points, [they] need to figure something out because it’s not fair for anybody in that sense.”
