Bryson to majors: Find another way to integrate LIV players

Considering news that the Official World Golf Ranking will not recognize LIV Golf in its current structure, Bryson DeChambeau is calling for the major championships to adjust.

DeChambeau was asked Wednesday about the OWGR’s decision a day earlier to deny the Saudi-backed league world-ranking points after a 15-month review process, a noticeable hit to players such as DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Cameron Smith and others.

“It’s just been par for the course, unfortunately, and I think at this point in time now that they’re not allowing it, we would love to find another way to be integrated into the major championship system since I think we have some of the best players in the world,” said DeChambeau, one of 13 players who ranked inside the top 50 in the OWGR prior to joining LIV.

DeChambeau’s solution: “Top 12 on the list, the money list at the end of the year or the points list at the end of the year would be, I think, obvious for the major championships to host the best players in the world at those four events each year.”

LIV’s limited access, highlighted by the fact that 14 players contractually obligated to play the 2024 season regardless of performance, was the key hang-up for the OWGR, according to the ranking system’s president, Peter Dawson.

“The important point is, this is not about the players,” Dawson said. “LIV players are self-evidently good enough to be ranked; there is no doubt about that. This is about, should a tour whose formats are so different and whose qualification criteria are so different, can they be ranked equitably with other tours who conform to the OWGR norm and have more competition to them than perhaps the closed shop that is LIV?”

DeChambeau didn’t address those concerns, instead focusing on the “amazing opportunity” still at hand for he and his fellow LIV members.

“It’s honestly sad that they’ve done that, and people are going to say that it’s sad that we came over here, but it’s like, look, this is an amazing opportunity for every one of us,” DeChambeau adds. “I think we’ve told that narrative quite a bit, and we want to continue to change and grow the game in places like Saudi Arabia, like Singapore, like Australia, numerous places we’ve all been throughout this year, and we’re going to continue to do so over the course of time. I think that’s what’s needed, I think it’s what’s necessary, and I think we are doing a solid job of it so far, and it’s only going to get better.

“In regards to the OWGR, it is what it is.”