Greg Norman directly implored the four majors to change their qualification criteria and provide access to LIV golfers after the breakaway league withdrew its application for world ranking status.
It is understood the first response to LIV Golf lobbying will come from the R&A this week with the announcement of their exemption for the Open at Royal Troon in the summer.
Telegraph Sport revealed last year that LIV was in talks with the St Andrews governing body and on Tuesday a source from the Saudi-backed circuit said there was “hope” Open organizers would “act sensibly” and make sure Ayrshire links “make sense”. “It featured the best players in the world.”
Earlier on Tuesday, LIV chief executive Norman sent an email to his players explaining his decision to forego the traditional route to the biggest tournaments.
“We have made significant efforts to fight for you and ensure your achievements are recognized within the current ranking system,” Norman wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by Telegraph Sport. “Unfortunately OWGR [Official World Golf Rankings] “He showed little desire to work effectively with us.”
Norman called for an “independent ranking system” but stated that LIV would now focus on convincing the bodies that govern the Masters, Open, US Open and US PGA to award guaranteed spots through the LIV order of merit.
“We continue to seek meaningful communication and relationships with each of the majors to ensure LIV golfers are fairly represented and golf fans around the world have opportunities to see the best competition possible,” Norman said.
The irony is that it was actually the elders who rejected LIV’s application last October. In addition to the big four, the OWGR board includes PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, DP World Tour general manager Keith Pelley and DP World Tour chief operating officer Keith Waters, who represents the International Federation of Tours.
However, the second trio withdrew themselves from the process a few months later after LIV applied for recognition shortly after its launch in June 2022. This gave Norman hope, but the big boys thought the breakaway league was too much of a closed shop and also expressed concerns about the team component that was central to the Saudi-backed circle’s long-term plan.
“We’re not at war with them,” OWGR executive chairman Peter Dawson said five months ago. “This decision to make them ineligible is not political. It is purely technical. LIV players are good enough to qualify. “They’re not playing in a format that can rank equally with the other 24 tours and the thousands of players who will compete in those tours.”
But LIV insiders suggest there was little direction from the OWGR on how to make the proposal acceptable. There is also the feeling that they are being “played slowly”, as Norman noted in his message to the 54 players.
“Even though LIV Golf events are awarded instant points, the OWGR system is designed so that it is functionally impossible for you to regain positions near the top of the rankings to which most of you belong,” he said.
“The rankings are structured to penalize anyone who does not play regularly on the ‘Proper Tour’ with course ratings that disproportionately reward play on the PGA Tour. This is illustrated by the fact that only four players in the top 50 are not PGA Tour players (Jon Rahm [3]Tyrrell Hatton [17]Brooks Koepka [30] and Cam Smith [45]) and the rapid decline of LIV players in general, despite outstanding performances in LIV events.”
‘Not all top players play in PGA Tour tournaments’
Recently, Augusta invited 25-year-old Chilean Joaquin Niemann, who has won two of the last three LIV events, to next month’s major, but the Masters only mentioned his performance in winning the Australian Open in December. So far, no majors have been awarded based on LIV performances.
This snub inevitably drew criticism from within LIV. Last week, American Talor Gooch, who won last year’s LIV order of merit but has yet to qualify or be invited to any of this year’s events, announced that Rory McIlroy’s historic achievement would be achieved if he won the Masters and thus complete his career grand slam. success comes with an “asterisk”.
These comments were widely mocked, but 2008 Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger believes LIV has seriously undermined the quality of competition on the PGA Tour.
“Not all the top players play in PGA Tour tournaments,” he told Golfweek. “It’s over. Suddenly the LIV Tour is, let’s put it this way: The PGA Tour has quickly become the qualifying tour of the LIV, and it’s a sad day for golf.
Azinger was NBC’s chief analyst until last November and insists he is “happy” his role is over, despite negotiations for a new contract with the US network breaking down.
“I prefer to call [commentate on] Azinger said truthfully, the Senior Tour is better than the PGA Tour. “If you have to count the best senior players in the world, they are at least the best.”
LIV holds its fourth $25 million event of the season in Hong Kong this week, while the PGA Tour’s latest $20 million “signature event” takes place in Orlando, where McIlroy and Co are competing for the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
In the background, the PGA Tour and DP World Tour continue to meet with the Saudi Public Investment Fund to unify the elite professional men’s game.