LIV Golf’s ongoing battle for Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) recognition has resurfaced after the league once again applied for tour status earlier this year. But former OWGR chairman Peter Dawson — the man who denied LIV’s first application in 2022 — has made it clear he stands by that original decision.
Dawson, who served as OWGR chairman from 2016 until stepping down in April, reflected on the 2022 ruling that left many of LIV’s biggest stars without the ability to earn world ranking points. Despite the criticism that followed, Dawson said he had “no regrets” about rejecting LIV’s plea.
“The OWGR has a terrific record of being inclusive,” Dawson said. “It has expanded the number of tours it includes from five to 25. It goes out of its way to help tours become OWGR eligible. I was very disappointed that we could not do so with LIV. It is self-evident that players on the LIV tour are good enough to be ranked because they were before.
But OWGR has a duty to ensure that all of the thousands of players in the system are ranked equitably. Some aspects of the LIV format made that impossible. In my opinion, OWGR made the only decision it could at the time.”
The rejection has long been a sore point for LIV Golf, whose players — including major champions such as Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka, and Phil Mickelson — have seen their world rankings plummet since joining the breakaway league.
Dawson insisted his decision wasn’t personal but rather a matter of maintaining fairness within the ranking system. Still, he questioned LIV’s long-term impact on the sport.
“I want all golf initiatives to do well, and I can’t see that LIV has been a success by any measure,” he said. “Yes, it has given great wealth to a very few people, but its team format isn’t resonating with fans.
I really don’t understand why the PIF and Saudi Arabia are persisting with it. They’re doing wonderful things for the women’s game and for golf development within Saudi Arabia — but LIV seems to be the odd man out.”
Some of LIV’s biggest stars have publicly criticized the OWGR system for what they see as outdated and biased criteria.
Cameron Smith said the ranking system has become “almost obsolete,” while Dustin Johnson added, “I feel like you can’t really use the world ranking system anymore.”
Despite the backlash, the OWGR has maintained that LIV’s team-based, no-cut, 54-hole format makes fair comparison with other tours impossible.
As LIV heads into the 2026 season, it’s now pursuing new strategies to boost fan engagement and credibility. The organization submitted a fresh application to the OWGR on June 30, hoping for a different outcome — but given Dawson’s firm stance, approval still seems far from guaranteed.
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