The Memorial Tournament honored late golfer Grayson Murray, who died by suicide on May 25. Despite his passing, Murray remains in the Official World Golf Ranking, potentially affecting U.S. Open qualifications. The USGA has stated that Murray's spot will be returned to qualifying protocols, and he will be removed from the ranking criteria to ensure fair qualification for other players.
Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley announced that there are no plans to offer direct access to the Masters tournament via the LIV Golf League's season-long points list or any aggregation of tournaments. He cited the closed-shop nature of the LIV Golf League as a hindrance and emphasized the tournament's invitational and limited field structure. The Masters does not give direct spots to any other world tour outside of the PGA Tour, and the LIV Golf League's application for world ranking points was denied due to problems with player pathways and turnover. Despite this, Ridley stated that the Masters would exercise discretion with regard to special invitations for deserving players, regardless of the tour they play on.
Jon Rahm continues to criticize the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), discrediting its reflection of the world's best players, particularly in light of LIV Golf's denied pursuit of world-ranking accreditation. Rahm argues that the system is flawed and fails to accurately represent the top players, citing the example of Joaquin Niemann's low ranking despite notable achievements.
LIV Golf has withdrawn its bid for Official World Golf Ranking points, prompting criticism from Masters champion Jon Rahm, who called the current ranking system flawed. The Saudi-backed league's CEO Greg Norman cited the lack of a resolution that protects the accuracy and integrity of the rankings as the reason for the withdrawal. Players will now only be able to improve their world ranking through DP World Tour events, the Asian Tour, or other satellite tours. The move has led to concerns about eligibility for major championships, with negotiations ongoing for a potential merger between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which funds LIV Golf.
Greg Norman and LIV Golf have abandoned their pursuit to have their own tour points counted towards the official rankings, leading to players like Cameron Smith falling down the world rankings. Despite efforts to have LIV Golf points recognized, Norman confirmed that the battle has ended, meaning top players will continue to miss out on major events due to the ranking debacle.
LIV Golf has withdrawn its application for Official World Golf Ranking accreditation, limiting its players' opportunities to participate in major championships. The decision affects many LIV golfers who rely on world rankings to qualify for prestigious events like the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, and British Open. The move comes after the OWGR board denied LIV's application, citing concerns about the league's tournament format and lack of turnover. While some LIV golfers have managed to accrue OWGR points through other tours, many have seen their rankings plummet, raising questions about their access to major tournaments. LIV CEO Greg Norman expressed disappointment with the decision and emphasized the league's efforts to engage with major championships for fair representation of its players.
LIV Golf has withdrawn its request for world-ranking points after the Official World Golf Ranking denied the league's application last October, citing concerns about equitable ranking and player pathways onto the new circuit. LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman informed players of the decision, expressing disappointment with the existing ranking system and calling for an independent ranking that recognizes the modernization of the game. Despite this setback, LIV Golf's Joaquin Niemann received special invitations to the Masters and PGA Championship, highlighting the ongoing tension between the league and the traditional golf establishment.
The LIV Golf League has withdrawn its application for recognition from the Official World Golf Ranking, citing concerns about the lack of turnover among players and limited pathways for others to join. The league's players have not received world-ranking points for their finishes in LIV Golf League events, causing many to plummet in the rankings. LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman stated that the best way forward for the league and its players is not through the current ranking system. The league will now work with the governing bodies of the four major championships to get more of its players in fields.
Golfer Talor Gooch questions the validity of the Masters Tournament after not receiving an invitation due to his affiliation with the LIV Golf League, which is not recognized by the Official World Golf Ranking system. Gooch believes that the absence of top players in the field diminishes the tournament's prestige and suggests that the majors should find a way to include the best players from the LIV circuit. Fellow golfer Lee Westwood also criticizes the OWGR, stating that it no longer ranks all the best golfers fairly and could compromise the credibility of major championships.
Eight of the top 10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking have accepted invitations to compete in this year's Hero World Challenge, hosted by Tiger Woods. However, Woods himself is not included in the current field as he continues to recover from surgery. The tournament will feature world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, defending champion Viktor Hovland, and other top-ranked players. There is still one tournament exemption left to be announced.
LIV Golf's bid to earn world ranking points has been denied by the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) board, citing the inability to measure the 48-man league fairly against other tours. The OWGR committee expressed concerns about LIV Golf's closed-shop format, lack of turnover, and team aspect. LIV Golf can reapply, but turnover, objective access, and relegation of underperforming players are key points for consideration. The lack of world ranking points has affected player participation and rankings, with only two players from the top 50 currently in LIV Golf.
Wyndham Clark climbed to No. 13 in the Official World Golf Ranking after winning the U.S. Open, with Rory McIlroy coming in third. Patrick Cantlay is ranked No. 4, followed by Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffele, and Cameron Smith. Rickie Fowler also moved up to No. 35 after finishing in fifth place at the U.S. Open.
Michael Block, a club pro at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, climbed 3,003 spots in the Official World Golf Ranking to No. 577 after finishing tied for 15th at the PGA Championship. He also earned an exemption into this week's PGA Tour event, the Charles Schwab Challenge, and won $288,333. Block cemented his status as a cult hero with a hole-in-one on the par-3 No. 15 on Sunday at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York.
The USGA announced that 33 players qualified for the U.S. Open, including major winners Jason Day and Patrick Reed. Tiger Woods officially withdrew from the championship as he recovers from a recent surgery. There are still more opportunities for players to gain entry into the U.S. Open. The current field includes the top 60 in the Official World Golf Ranking and various exemptions, such as winners of past majors and top finishers in various tournaments.
