Lee Westwood, the veteran English golfer known for his long-standing career in the sport, has taken a firm stance against the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) system, calling it a ‘mockery’ due to its exclusion of LIV Golf players. This critique emerged in the wake of his recent performance at The Open Championship, where he surged 3,759 spots in the rankings after finishing tied 34th at Royal Portrush. His current position of No. 930 on the OWGR list has brought attention to the broader issues surrounding the ranking system’s fairness and the challenges faced by players in LIV Golf.
Westwood’s frustration is rooted in the current restriction on how LIV Golf players can earn OWGR points. The existing system only allows LIV players to earn points through participation in major championships or international tours, which severely limits their opportunities to climb the rankings. This has had a noticeable impact on the careers of several LIV golfers, including former world number one Dustin Johnson, who has seen his ranking plummet to 571st despite his continued high-level performance on the LIV tour. Westwood believes that the system’s limitations create a distorted representation of players’ skills and achievements, which he argues is unfair to those competing in non-OWGR-sanctioned events.
Moreover, the personal significance of this issue has been amplified for Westwood, as his son, Sam, is currently ranked 2,759th on the OWGR list, indicating a stark contrast in their respective standings. This has brought a personal dimension to the debate, as Westwood emphasizes that the current ranking system fails to acknowledge the efforts of players on LIV Golf. He has called for greater recognition of the league’s events as valid contributors to the OWGR, which would enable LIV players to have a more equitable path to tournament eligibility and ranking success.
The situation is not without precedent. LIV Golf had previously submitted an application for OWGR inclusion in 2022, but it was denied. This has delayed the opportunity for LIV players to be fully recognized within the ranking system, creating an imbalance that Westwood and other LIV golfers continue to challenge. The league is now preparing to resubmit its application, signaling its determination to gain official recognition and reshape the future of the sport’s ranking structure. Until then, the debate over the fairness and inclusivity of the OWGR remains a central issue in professional golf, with significant implications for the careers of players in the LIV tour.