LIV Golf boss Greg Norman lashed out at the Official World Golf Ranking during the Bangkok Invitational, claiming some of the board members “hate LIV.”
Speaking at Stonehill Golf Course in Thailand, Norman reacted to the news that the OWGR would review the MENA Tour’s new structure which wanted to integrate the Bangkok Invitational and the Jeddah Invitational into its schedule.
The Australian, who won The Open Championship twice in his career, shared the annoyance of Bryson DeChambeau who claimed LIV Golf meets the relevant criteria and the OWGR is “delaying the inevitable.”
MENA Tour commissioner David Spencer also claimed that none of the OWGR’s reservations had been communicated to the Dubai-based circuit ahead of the Bangkok Invitational which was set to be LIV’s first-ever ranking event.
“No, it’s not a setback. It’s a setback for them (OWGR) because quite honestly, my players should have it (ranking points). There are 22 tours that have world ranking points and there’s only one that’s equal to or superior to what LIV is. Only one,” Norman said.
#NEW: Greg Norman sounds off on the OWGR pic.twitter.com/p1YBY46e4x
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“So, it doesn’t make sense from a major’s perspective. It doesn’t make sense from a broadcaster’s perspective. You’re paying and investing for your strength of the field and degrading the strength of the field and by not allowing LIV players to get OWGR points is not doing the game of golf any good.
“Rise above it all, it’s good for the players, it’s good for the game of golf, it’s good for production, it’s good for corporations, it’s good for OEMs, it’s good for fans, it’s good for everybody.
“Just because you have a negative viewpoint and you’re one of the voting members of an independent organization, that you hate LIV and you vote against it… Grow up.”
For as long as LIV Golf players don’t have access to OWGR points, they will tumble down the rankings which will eventually make them ineligible for major championships, once their exemptions run out.
The OWGR claimed that there wasn’t enough time for a “customary necessary review” to be carried out in order to grant the LIV Golf events on the MENA Tour OWGR points.
This would suggest that all is not lost for LIV Golf as the review process is taking place. While LIV continues its quest for OWGR legitimacy, they are yet to feature on any mainstream broadcasting network, despite strong rumors linking them to a deal with Fox Sports.
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