LIV Golf will begin its fifth season in February, potentially with its application for Official World Golf Ranking points still pending.
Trevor Immelman, chairman of the OWGR, issued a statement on the matter Tuesday.
“Since the end of June, the Governing Board has endeavored to thoroughly evaluate the LIV Golf application,” Immelman said. “We remain committed to the OWGR’s mission, which requires honoring the meritocracy woven into the professional game. As such, discussions have been regular and remain ongoing. To be clear, progress has been made, but there is no decision to share at this time.
“We will continue to work closely with LIV Golf as it continues to evolve to ensure its application is handled with fairness, integrity and consistency, as stated previously.”
LIV Golf is moving to 72-hole events in 2026 and away from the 54-hole format it used during the league’s first four seasons. While that could help LIV in the eyes of the OWGR committee, other issues remain.
Immelman said earlier this month that since most LIV competitors were invited to the league, instead of earning spots, it remains a hurdle in its path to OWGR points. That isn’t true for any of the current 24 tours which are included in the OWGR system.
Without OWGR points, LIV competitors will struggle to qualify for major tournaments.
Immelman did state that going forward, 54-hole tournaments, or tournaments shortened to 54 holes due to weather, will receive 75% of the original field rating and points distribution, while 36-hole events will receive 50%. That was an adjustment for all tours and not just a consideration for LIV.
Also on Tuesday, LIV Golf announced it will add three wild-card spots in the upcoming season, increasing its regular field size from 54 to 57.
The wild-card spots will be available for the taking at January’s LIV Golf Promotions event at Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto, Fla., which the league said will provide “enhanced qualifying opportunities for 2026.”
The top three finishers at the LIV Golf Promotions event will earn full-season wild-card spots in the 2026 LIV Golf League. Additionally, the top 10 finishers at the event, including ties, will be granted full exempt status into the 2026 International Series, a group of 10 events sanctioned by the Asian Tour and financially supported by LIV Golf.
LIV’s 2026 season begins Feb. 4 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Public Investment Fund gave the league an additional $113 million in funding earlier this month to move its total LIV funding just past $5 billion.
–Field Level Media
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