PGA of America CEO updates status of LIV Golf's application for world ranking points
PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Seth Waugh insists the governing bodies of the Official World Golf Rankings and LIV Golf continue to have amicable discussions.
Waugh, the CEO of the PGA of America, which runs the PGA Championship, is on the OWGR board of directors and that group will have a big say in the LIV's future as it continues to assess the Saudi-backed league's application for OWGR points.
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"There has been healthy back and forth," Waugh said Tuesday. "It has not been acrimonious. There's been collegial back and forth of them making an application as other tours have done. We've responded, they've responded.
"The ball, from my understanding, is in their court from our last response at this point. But it's a natural process. There is no magic to 12 months. It's just sort of most of these … all of these, I think, certainly since I've been around, have taken more time than I think was assumed early on."
Most LIV golfers' rankings have plummeted without the league's events being recognized. The only way to make a big jump is for those who qualify for the majors to play well. The rankings for Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson soared the week after they tied for second place at the Masters. Mickelson rose from 425th to No. 72 and Koepka improved from No. 118 to 39th.
LIV Golf submitted its application for OWGR points in July, soon after its inaugural event in London. The OWGR has come back to LIV with several undisclosed issues.
LIV's 48-man fields and no cut events are two aspects that do not meet OWGR points guidelines, although a tour can be awarded points without meeting all guidelines.
Recently, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley and DP World Tour COO Keith Waters recused themselves from being a part of the review board for LIV's application.
That leaves the decision up to the four representatives from the major championships, Waugh; Will Jones of Augusta National and the Masters; Mike Whan, CEO of the United States Golf Association; and Martin Slumbers, CEO of the R&A.
"This is not an us versus them," Waugh said. "I think the OWGR, the whole point is to create a level playing field, a yardstick by which to measure the game. Our job is to measure tours. Not players but tours and how they perform on those tours to come up with that yardstick. That's what we're all attempting to try to do.
"We've been, I think, very responsive to them in terms of their requests, and they've been responsive to us. It isn't some battle."
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: 'Healthy' discussions continue with LIV Golf's application for ranking points
