LIV Golf players thought they had found a loophole in the World Golf Rankings system to earn points at their event this weekend - but the move is set to be blocked by the OWGR, for now at least.
The latest LIV Golf event will take place in Bangkok at the weekend and, at the opening of the weekend, an Instagram story by Brooks Koepka's wife appeared to confirm the news that players expected to earn world ranking points for the event. The news was later confirmed in an exclusive report in the Telegraph.
The organisers though they had exploited a loophole that they believed would make the event eligible for world ranking points by partnering with another tour - but news on Thursday filtered through that the Official World Golf Rankings are set to block the machinations.
This story was updated on October 6th.
LIV Golf players will not earn world ranking points at Bangkok event
LIV Golf has formed a partnership with the MENA Tour - a development tour that has not held any events since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and whose events mainly take place in the Middle East and North Africa.
Crucially, the MENA Tour is a member of the Official World Golf Rankings system, despite not having held an event in several years. That means that LIV Golf players should be able to earn ranking points from events.
The OWGR have since confirmed, however, that the next two LIV events in Bangkok this weekend and Jeddah next will not receive ranking points, as the board seeks to conduct a "full review into MENA Tour's application for points".
BREAKING: OWGR confirm LIV players will NOT receive ranking points either this week in Bangkok or next week in Jeddah.
Insufficient time for OWGR to conduct a full review into MENA Tour’s application for points.— Jamie Weir (@jamiecweir) October 6, 2022
The arrangement with MENA is said to include all LIV Golf events on the 2022-23 MENA Tour schedule, in a massive coup for the rebel series.
LIV Golf players will also be allowed to play on all other MENA Tour events for 2022-23.
The push for LIV Golf players to earn ranking points is in an effort to ensure they can still qualify for the four majors.
This news comes weeks after the PGA of Australia confirmed that Australian LIV Golf players would be allowed to play in PGA-sanctioned events on home soil.
Funnily enough, though the news of the MENA Tour arrangement was later widely reported by several publications, it was initially broken by Brooks Koepka's wife Jena Sims through her Instagram story.
Did Jena Sims just break this news pic.twitter.com/0X2mTvKJaA
— claire rogers (@kclairerogers) October 5, 2022
In a quote to the Telegraph (who formally broke the news on Wednesday afternoon), LIV sources said that they were "adamant that it [the agreement with MENA] tickets most if not all of the OGWR boxes. We do not know how they can exclude us now the LIV Golf Series and next year's LIV Golf League is on the MENA Tour."
The conflict in the world of golf surrounding LIV will only be amplified by their apparent success in gaining world ranking points for their players.
Recently, Rory McIlroy spoke of his conflicting feelings on whether LIV Golf players should be allowed to earn world ranking points, admitting that having the likes of Dustin Johnson and some of the world's most talented players tumbling down the rankings was not a fair reflection on ability.
SEE ALSO: Tiger Woods Will Be Involved With 2023 US Ryder Cup Team
