“I know their agenda” - Bryson DeChambeau accuses Official World Golf Ranking system of undermining LIV Golf's relevance

Bryson DeChambeau brought back the LIV vs. Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) controversy this week. DeChambeau stated that the golf world rankings governing body was seeking to make the LIV Golf players "irrelevant".

Talking to The Rick Shiels Golf Show, Bryson DeChambeau shared his opinions on the issue of world ranking points not being awarded to players on the LIV Golf circuit.

Bryson DeChambeau said that all LIV Golf members "see exactly" what the OWGR's strategy is. Here is what DeChambeau said (via Golf Monthly):

"I know their agenda. We know their whole playbook, we see exactly what they’re trying to do. They’re trying to hold us out long enough to where we’re irrelevant. 'Oh we’ll give you points now, we’re gonna play nice in the sandbox'. But then we’re all irrelevant, we don’t have enough points to even fill a field."

The non-awarding of world ranking points to LIV Golf events is especially sensitive to players because of its impact on attendance at the Majors. Many players on Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF)-backed circuit do not hold ranking positions that would allow them to qualify for the Majors.

Bryson DeChambeau's shared about the matter:

"I'm in the Majors, I'm lucky enough that 2020 was an amazing year for me and the U.S. Open really set me up for a lot of success, but I feel bad for the guys like Joaquin Niemann that deserve a spot, he is good enough to play in every Major championship. He’s a top 50 player in the world, doesn’t have that opportunity. Talor Gooch, he won three times this year."

Joaquin Niemann earned his spot in The Open Championship this weekend by winning the Australian Open, one of the events that are part of the qualifying process for the fourth Major of the season. The same is not true for the other three Majors.

As for Talor Gooch, he does not currently qualify for any of the exemptions for the Majors unlike Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson. Gooch could only participate by seeking his qualification in Majors where qualifying tournaments are played or through a sponsor's exemption.

What is the OWGR's stance towards LIV Golf?

The criticism of OWGR by Bryson DeChambeau and most of those involved with LIV Golf is nothing new. The world ranking body has refused to allow LIV events to award points, a subject that has strained the relations between the two entities.

The OWGR has cited a number of issues relating to LIV Golf as reasons for its decision not to award points. A key role is played by the access and relegation pathways established in the circuit.

In the opinion of the world ranking authorities, access to LIV Golf is not on par with the rest of the eligible circuits because most of the players do not qualify for it. The vast majority of those currently playing in LIV Golf reached it directly, via the signing of a contract.

On the other hand, only four players were relegated after the second season of LIV Golf, while there is a large group of players (captains and co-captains) who cannot be relegated, regardless of their sporting results.

A third element wielded by the OWGR is that in LIV Golf there are simultaneous individual and team events. The world ranking body has established different methods for ranking individual and team events, hence according to them, there is no way to distribute points in simultaneous events.

There are other elements that complicate harmonizing the LIV Golf and OWGR schemes. However, Peter Dawson, president of the OWGR, was quoted by Global Golf that the three aspects mentioned above are the essential factors for not awarding points.