There will be no World Ranking points awarded for this weekend’s LIV Golf Series event in Bangkok, according to a statement from the Official World Golf Ranking released on Thursday.
In a move that appeared to be an attempt to circumvent the review process for eligibility, LIV Golf on Wednesday announced a partnership with the MENA Tour, a developmental tour founded in 2011 based in Dubai that already has been granted OWGR accreditation. LIV officials touted the move as a way for LIV Golf Series events to immediately begin receiving points starting with the LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok that begins Friday.
The OWGR acknowledged receipt of communication from MENA outlining changes to its membership structure and said it will begin the review process on its changes, but the ranking organization said that LIV still is not eligible for points this week or in its next event in Jeddah.
“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 (7-9 October) and LIV Golf Invitational Jeddah (14-16 October),” the OWGR statement read. “Only after the review is complete will a decision be made on awarding points to the MENA Tour’s new ‘Limited Field Tournaments’, defined by the MENA Tour in its Regulations as ‘any MENA Tour-approved tournament, which comprises of a player field of less than 80 players.’”
The OWGR added that official MENA Tour events played over 54 or 72 holes with a 36-hole cut remain eligible for OWGR inclusion.
This story will continue to be updated.