LIV Golf has been treading water and gasping for air since the calendar flipped to 2026, but the Official World Golf Ranking might’ve just saved the Saudi-backed league‘s life. On Tuesday morning, the OWGR announced it will award LIV Golf players with world ranking points for the 2026 season.
This is a monumental win for LIV Golf, which has fought for OWGR accreditation since its inception in 2022. Climbing the world rankings is one of the easiest ways for professional golfers to qualify for major championships, but LIV players were shut out from OWGR points when they defected from the PGA Tour. It’s why Jon Rahm (97th in the OWGR), Joaquin Niemann (155th), Dustin Johnson (662nd) and others have slipped to laughable rankings that don’t reflect their true status in the golf world.
Because LIV Golf events didn’t offer OWGR points, many players traveled around the world during off weeks to play on international tours and earn world ranking points. Now, they won’t have to.
LIV Golf Scores Major Win With OWGR Accreditation
Jon Rahm and other LIV players can finally earn world ranking points.
After multiple denials and months of negotiations, the OWGR’s governing board unanimously voted to award world ranking points to LIV Golf events for the 2026 season. The ruling will take effect starting this weekend at LIV’s season opener in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
According to the OWGR press release, ranking points will be allocated to only the top-10 finishers (and ties) in LIV Golf’s individual stroke play events. LIV winners will earn 23 world ranking points, which is about the same as winners earn at opposite-field PGA Tour events and DP World Tour tournaments. For reference, Justin Rose earned 56 world ranking points for his win at the Farmers Insurance Open last week.
Still, the ability to earn world ranking points at every LIV tournament should keep the top players from free-falling down the OWGR. This creates a pathway for LIV golfers to qualify for major championships with their strong play.
OWGR Announcement Comes at the Perfect Time for LIV Golf
GettyBryson DeChambeau’s frustration with LIV Golf raises questions about his future.
For seemingly the first time this year, LIV has scored a win in the world of golf. Before the OWGR’s announcement, the rival golf league was taking on water faster than it could handle.
First, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed ditched LIV to rejoin the PGA Tour. This marked a key development of players learning what life is like on LIV Golf and deciding the PGA Tour is a better place to be, even if they have to incur exorbitant fines and penalties to return.
Shortly after, Bryson DeChambeau publicly criticized LIV Golf’s decision to switch from 54 to 72 holes. The superstar golfer also failed to commit to the rival league beyond the 2026 season, indicating he could also return to the PGA Tour when his contract runs out. Losing three big-name players in one year would be a devastating blow to an upstart golf tour that lacks depth.
Just as it seemed like LIV Golf was heading toward a slow death, the OWGR stepped in and saved the league—for now.
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