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US golfer Harold Varner III has entered the top 50 in the OWGR recently. The news is especially surprising because Varner plays in the controversial LIV Golf series and has limited options for earning world ranking points.
Several players in the Saudi-backed league have plummeted in rankings due to the league's inability to secure world ranking points.
Some of the biggest names such as Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Charles Howell III amongst others have fallen in rankings. Howell won the season-opening event in Mayakoba, Mexico, but fell another 11 places after the weekend.
However, surprising news came from Harold Varner III.
Harold began last week's tournament as World No.51. He did not accumulate a single world ranking point in Mexico but still he rose two places to re-enter the world's top 50 at World No.49.
Mito Pereira also climbs up rankings along with Harold Varner III
Harold Varner III was not the only LIV Golf player to climb up the OWGR list. Mito Pereira also joined him.
Pereira propelled from World no. 50 to 48 position. However, in both the golfers' cases it is highly possible that it's an exception and not a norm over the weeks to come.
Rankings will play an important part in being eligible for major tournaments in the upcoming season. Varner and Pereira's status in the top 50 will have no bearing on their eligibility for this year's Masters. All three were in the top 50 at the end of last year, indicating that they are eligible.
Varner's return to the elite group will have come as a surprise after a somewhat disappointing performance in Mexico, where he finished tied for 27th. The difficult part will be staying there. But surely he will give it his all to maintain his ranking.
