LIV Golf suffers blow as players denied ranking points / Photo: © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File
-
Not-so-brave new world: virtual taekwondo makes Asian Games debut
-
Browns snuff out Rodgers fightback to beat Steelers 27-24
-
Arab Israeli candidate drops out of election race
-
Braves power past Phillies to set up Dodgers showdown
-
Israel courts Europe's far right, finding friends but also unease
-
Asian stocks drop as oil spike fans rate hike bets, eyes on US jobs
-
Lula, Bolsonaro both snub final debate before Brazil election
-
Viral anti-vax posts weaponise Philippine inoculation fears
-
Nepal's grim DNA puzzle to identify flood dead
-
Saudi coalition accuses Houthis of drone attack on Medina
-
EU nations to hold emergency meeting on soaring diesel prices amid US pressure
-
Effective Altruism: the philosophy behind Silicon Valley's AI fears
-
Anthropic's Dario Amodei: AI's most visible CEO and enigma
-
Chinese judoka accused of biting as home hope wins Asian Games gold
-
OpenAI says three staffers fired for mishandling 'sensitive' info
-
Four-member crew docks at International Space Station
-
Nike plans job cuts as it forecasts lower sales
-
Portugal win without Ronaldo as Klopp's Germany get first victory
-
Ireland game interrupted twice by Gaza protests
-
Wemby: 'Very sad' to see players endorse betting firms
-
Judge denies acquittal bid by US woman who killed her kids
-
Manchester City Women scrape draw with Real Madrid
-
Klopp averts crisis with first win as Germany boss
-
India, Australia and Pakistan in same World Cup group
-
A saintly spat and debate snub: Brazil enters final campaign stretch
-
Daryz's hopes of repeat Arc win boosted by draw
-
US tells European allies to act 'immediately' to lower diesel prices
-
Steelers ship disgruntled defender Porter to Cowboys
-
G20 trade ministers fail to see consensus against overproduction
-
Klopp gets first win as Germany boss
-
Portugal edge Denmark in Ronaldo's absence
-
Bolivia's attorney general arrested on drugs, money laundering charges
-
US stocks edge higher as bond yields retreat for now
-
Raiders host Chiefs in battle of unbeaten division rivals
-
US tells European allies to 'immediately' act to lower diesel prices
-
Lowest Fee Bitcoin ATMs Announces Launch of More Than 400 ATMs Nationwide
-
Trump vows to hit Iran 'very hard' if linked to flydubai attack
-
G20 against 'weaponization' of food trade: French minister
-
Williams leaves Spain camp with thigh knock
-
Female US inmate in critical condition after botched execution
-
WTA reduces 2027 schedule for world's top 50
-
Spotlight on UK-UAE ties amid Manchester City scandal
-
US says 'in Europe's best interest' to cooperate on fuel supply
-
Ethiopia and Eritrea break diplomatic ties over conflict
-
Rogue OpenAI agents covered up their tracks, report says
-
Downing Street says Manchester City not 'above the rules'
-
A saintly spat and debate snub: Brazil enters final polls stretch
-
Hadjar wants to 'fight for the title' from next season
-
Zidane 'no regrets' about Materazzi headbutt as France face Italy again
-
Bolivia's attorney general arrested for alleged drug trafficking, money laundering
LIV Golf suffers blow as players denied ranking points
LIV Golf players will not receive world ranking points for this week's event in Bangkok or the tournament in Jeddah later this month, the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) organisation said on Thursday.
The Saudi-backed LIV Series has yet to be given ranking points but the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) Tour announced on Wednesday that players at the next two events would be awarded points after a strategic alliance between the circuits.
The top 50 players in the rankings qualify automatically for all four major tournaments.
OWGR said it had been given insufficient notice and that a decision on whether to award ranking points would only be made following a review.
The organisation said it received a communication from the MENA Tour at 1205 GMT on October 5, detailing "significant changes" to its membership structure along with an outline of the initial series of tournaments in the 2022/23 season.
"OWGR notes that the first two tournaments in this series appeared to be the same as the LIV Golf Invitational Series tournaments in Bangkok and Jeddah," it said in a statement.
"The communication from the MENA Tour included a starting field data file for the Bangkok tournament, confirming that to be the case.
"A review of the changes to the MENA Tour is now under way by the OWGR.
"Notice of these changes given by the MENA Tour is insufficient to allow OWGR to conduct the customary necessary review ahead of the LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok (October 7-9) and LIV Golf Invitational Jeddah (October 14-16).
"Only after the review is complete will a decision be made on awarding points to the MENA Tour's new 'Limited Field Tournaments'."
The MENA Tour has been inactive since the start of the global coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
LIV has already staged five events in its inaugural year but without any ranking points awarded to its players -- including British Open champion Cameron Smith, former world number one Dustin Johnson and six-time major winner Phil Mickelson.
Golfers on the rebel circuit have been banned from the PGA Tour, ruling out American players from qualifying for the 2023 Ryder Cup.
European stars to have left for LIV, including stalwarts Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia, have all plummeted down the world rankings and seem unlikely to make Luke Donald's team for the two-yearly contest, which takes place near Rome.
B.Shevchenko--BTB