A decision on whether LIV Golf events can earn world ranking points could come in time for the Saudi-backed tour’s season opener in February, Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) board chairman Trevor Immelman said on Friday.
The Separatist Tour’s initial bid was unanimously rejected by the OWGR in 2023, with one of the main concerns being limited player access to the competition.
The issue led to LIV players falling in the world rankings, with former world number one Dustin Johnson now ranked 637th and England’s Tyrrell Hatton, LIV’s highest-ranked representative, at 20th.
In June, LIV renewed its quest for world ranking points by submitting an application to the OWGR. It also announced it would expand its tournament format from 54 to 72 holes in 2026.
Asked if a decision could be made before LIV Golf’s 2026 season begins Feb. 4 in Riyadh, Immelman told reporters Friday: “I think there’s a chance…
“Since they resubmitted their application at the end of June, we’ve all worked hard together to try to get answers. We’ve tried to understand what they want to do. They’ve tried to understand how their league is going to evolve.”
READ | OWGR President Immelman Says LIV Has Not Reapplied for World Ranking Points
In 2025, LIV Golf’s tournament field consisted of 13 four-player teams and two permanent wild card spots for a total of 54 players – far fewer than the number of golfers competing in standard PGA Tour events.
“They’re going to expand their field a little bit, from what I’ve been told, and could potentially grow even more in the years to come,” said Immelman, the 2008 Masters champion.
The PGA Tour and LIV Golf appeared close to finalizing the framework agreement announced in June 2023, but a deal to end golf’s civil war no longer appears imminent.
Published on December 20, 2025
