LIV Golf surprised everyone yesterday by announcing a change in format starting next year. Namely, LIV Golf will expand the tournaments to 72 holes. While some believe that this is a great move that will make it easier to obtain status on the OWGR rankings, others believe that LIVstill needs to change a lot of things in order to be eligible for ranking points.
Rory McIlroy, an important figure on the PGA Tour, called LIV's move strange, a little confused about whether this controversial Tour will even get status on the OWGR.
Shortly after, some golfers responded to Rory McIlroy's statements, including Westwood. He emphasized on talkSPORT that he does not pay much attention to McIlroys comments.
Westwood notes that LIV leaders are making such moves primarily because they want their players to be eligible for OWGR points, but also to have a format similar to the majors.
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He believes that this will make the Saudi-backed Tour's job much easier, but it remains to be seen whether they will actually succeed in doing so.
"I dont know. I dont pay too much attention to what Rory says," Westwood said. "Hell change his mind for next week.
I think [OWGR points] is one of the angles behind it," Westwood added. "I think there were a few different things. Some of the guys focused their whole season around the major championships and playing 54 holes was putting them at a bit of a disadvantage.
I think they wanted to play 72 holes that represented more the major championship format. But world rankings is one of the things on LIVs mind. I dont know whether its in the criteria or not because theres 54-hole tournaments that got world ranking points before.
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But I think the boxes that you need to tick with the world rankings, 72 holes probably helps that."
What can be expected?
It is clear that the leaders of the Saudi Backed Tour are doing everything they can to actually be awarded with points, but the situation is still very complicated.
They have been trying to be rewarded with ranking points for years, but it seems that OWGR is not so open to their applications. The situation is certainly complicated, we will see if OWGR leaders will soften their stance.
