“We are not involved” - Keith Pelley and Jay Monahan to stay away from LIV Golf’s OWGR application review

LIV Golf is undergoing some major changes at the moment. Amongst the many discussions the Saudi-backed series has started, World Ranking points remain the most important. As of now, LIV is awaiting a reply on the application filed for their inclusion in the Official World Golf Rankings.

As LIV Golf and its CEO Greg Norman await a final verdict on this, DP World Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley has come out to state that he won’t be involved in the rival series’ ranking points application review. According to Pelley, he, Chief Operating Officer Keith Waters, and PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan have recused themselves from the committee discussing LIV’s OWGR future. He stated that they “are not involved” in the process.

Speaking to the media prior to this week’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic, DP World Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley said:

“I have not looked at the LIV application. So, I can’t give an opinion on an application I have not seen. It is in the hands of the technical committee. On the advice of legal counsel, myself, and Jay recused ourselves from the separate committee. Representatives of the four majors will now determine the LIV application. We are not involved, and we have no influence on what transpires as far as LIV goes.”

It is pertinent to note that Pelley, Monahan, and Waters staying away from the decision-making committee will mean board representatives from Augusta National, the PGA of America, the USGA, and the R&A, along with Chairman Peter Dawson, will look at the LIV issue.

Pelley, who has been involved in discussions about the allocation of points at various events, seems to find it fair to distance himself from LIV Golf discussions.

He said:

“I am involved in discussions about the allocation of points on the various tours. Victor Perez got 26 for winning in Abu Dhabi yesterday. Jon Rahm got 37 for winning the Amex Championship on the PGA Tour. We had 126 players in our field; they had 156. So they had more players in the top 200. And so they got more points.”

The European Tour Chief added:

"Then again, Victor got more points than anyone except Rahm. It is a question we are debating: Is that right, that comparison? The points allocated on both tours have come down this year. And Victor did rise from 111th to 66th (in the rankings). Do I believe he can get into the top-five playing only the DP World Tour? Absolutely. It’s really not that much more difficult than before. Every tour has been adjusted downwards.”

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LIV Golf awaits decision on OWGR points

LIV Golf is set to return as a 14-event league in February. Ahead of this, the controversial series remains curious to learn about their faith in OWGR. Amid the circuit’s inaugural season, its golfers have called on the golf-ranking body to recognize their breakaway series.

LIV golfers wrote to the Official World Golf Rankings governing board chairman demanding their inclusion in the points system. Players, including World No. 4 Cameron Smith and Dustin Johnson, claimed OWGR to be "invalid" without them. The players also noted that their new tour had "earned its place" and deserved recognition.