After seven months, LIV Golf finally received a nod from the Official World Golf Ranking, allowing its players to earn points in the league.

Little did the world know that it would garner an interesting reaction from the PGA Tour. 

Soon after the news of OWGR’s decision went viral on social media, the PGA Tour released a statement. It read, “We respect today’s decision by the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) Governing Board and the considerable time the Board and Chairman Immelman committed to this process.” 

Of course, LIV Golf didn’t receive all the privileges that PGA Tour members receive. According to the announcements, only the top 10 finishers at LIV Golf events would receive OWGR points, starting from the 2026 season. But the PGA Tour didn’t delve into any of that. 

The PGA Tour had an observer’s measured tone. They tried to avoid any reference to potential consequences for PGA Tour members, eligibility pathways, and whether the tour would be affected by the OWGR’s decision in any way. 

However, the fans seemed to look at it through a different perspective. 

Fans Show Mixed Reaction to PGA Tour’s Statement

Highlighting the necessity of the decision, one netizen wrote, “If the OWGR board didn't do that, lawsuits would follow. Including challenging the PGA as the monopoly it is.”

Another fan added to the notion, writing, “@PGATOUR panicking. Lawsuits would have begun had Points not been awarded. The fawning over Brooks [Koepka] return shows how nervous they are.”

This will likely open the gates, and many players might move to LIV Golf. Additionally, with OWGR’s accreditation, the Saudi-backed league received an entry into the “global golf ecosystem.”

One fan suggested that with the outcome, “PGA TOUR then should not suspend players.” Instead, they should honor the OWGR exceptions. 

Meanwhile, many claimed that the PGA Tour’s statement was unnecessary and badly timed. One netizen branded it “Poor communication personnel and execution.” Another fan further claimed that it “reads as disagreement.”

As LIV players begin earning ranking points under the new criteria, attention will now turn to how the PGA Tour responds beyond carefully worded statements. But what do you think about the statement?

Follow Daily Club Golf for more updates.

Written by

Krushna Pattnaik

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu