Since the launch of LIV Golf, the subject of world ranking points has rarely been far from the surface, and it came to the fore again last October when, after a long-running battle for eligibility, its bid for the points was officially rejected.
Even then, though, that seemed unlikely to be the end of the debate, and sure enough, the vexing issue over whether LIV Golf should be granted world ranking points is back in the conversation following Joaquin Niemann’s win at LIV Golf Mayakoba, which came shortly before it was confirmed that Wyndham Clark would collect the full allocation of points for his win at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, even though only 54 holes were played.
One of the main reasons world ranking points are so valuable is they offer one of the surest ways to qualify for the four Majors, and as things stand, Niemann is only guaranteed spot at The Open in 2024 thanks to his inevitable fall down the list.
Here’s a look at some of the other LIV golfers who have suffered the most in the world rankings since making the move to the circuit.
Paul Casey
The Englishman has only played in four world ranking events since moving to LIV Golf in July 2022, and it shows in his standing. Casey was 26th in the world at the time of his move, but he’s now way down the list at 625th.
A certain amount of bad luck has contributed to that fall. Casey had been given a special invite to appear at the 2023 PGA Championship, where a strong performance would have given him a boost in the rankings, but he had to withdraw due to injury.
Bryson DeChambeau
The 2020 US Open champion was 28th when he made his big-money move to LIV Golf, and seven world ranking appearances since, including top-10 finishes at two Majors, mean he hasn't dropped as far as many of his colleagues.
Still, for a player who was in the world's top 10 as recently as 2022, his current standing of 167th will likely be galling for the American, particularly as it doesn't reflect some excellent LIV Golf form, including an historic 58 on the way to victory at last season's LIV Golf Greenbrier.
Sergio Garcia
The Spaniard’s performance at LIV Golf Mayakoba offered a reminder of his talents as he pushed Niemann all the way during a playoff in near darkness before succumbing to the Chilean after the fourth extra hole.
However, despite still being a force to be reckoned with on his day, that’s not reflected in his standing in the rankings. Garcia was ranked 57th when he was named among the initial intake of LIV Golf signings in time for the 2022 season.
Since then, the 44-year-old has played in nine world ranking events, including four Major appearances, but they haven’t done much to avert a dramatic slide to 575th.
Talor Gooch
Gooch was ranked 35th when he joined LIV Golf in June 2022, and he’s proved on the circuit that he was well worth his position with three wins during the second season helping him finish top of the individual standings. However, while his career away from the PGA Tour has flourished, his position in the world rankings has taken a dramatic hit.
After playing just seven world ranking events since his move he now stands at 394th. That could have been higher had he been eligible for the 2023 US Open, but the USGA retroactively changed the exemption criteria for the Major at Los Angeles Country Club, meaning Gooch missed out on another chance to claim ranking points.
Dustin Johnson
The two-time Major winner has had seven spells at the top of the world rankings, most recently in July 2021, and he was still riding relatively high when he became one of LIV Golf’s marquee signings ahead of its inaugural event at London’s Centurion Club in June 2022.
Back then, Johnson was 15th in the rankings, and he soon demonstrated why he commanded such a position with a stellar first season at LIV Golf that saw him become its highest earner by the time his 4 Aces GC outfit won that year’s Team Championship.
World ranking events have been hard to come by for Johnson since his move, though, with six Major appearances his only starts outside LIV Golf. Despite making the top 10 at two of them, his standing is now 218th.
Martin Kaymer
When Kaymer joined LIV Golf, his days as World No.1 in 2011 must have seemed a lifetime ago, as he stood in 215th. However, surely even that didn’t prepare him for the staggering fall down the rankings he would endure in the months that followed.
Kaymer has played just two world ranking events since his move, the DP World Tour’s BMW International Open in 2022, where he finished T36, and the 2023 US Open, where he missed the cut. Thanks to that, he is now ranked 2,858th.
Kevin Na
The American was ranked 34th in the world when he joined LIV Golf in June 2022, but ever since then, his position has been on an almost relentless march down.
His standing has not been helped by indifferent form in the five world ranking events he has played in the ensuing 18 months, with only a T42 at the 2023 Saudi Open on the Asian Tour to show for his efforts.
As a result, Na, who has racked up 46 Major appearances over his career, is nowhere near the level needed to ensure more in 2024, at 788th.
Louis Oosthuizen
The South African was 21st in the world rankings when he signed for LIV Golf, and despite gradually slipping down the rankings, he did enough to qualify for the 2023 Masters after finishing 2022 50th on the list.
However, by early December 2023, Oosthuizen had fallen to 441st as opportunities to play in world ranking tournaments began to dry up, not helped by having to withdraw from the Augusta National Major due to injury.
Oosthuizen became one of the few LIV golfers to enjoy a considerable rally in the world rankings thanks to back-to-back wins at the DP World Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Championship and AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open in 2023, but he’s still a long way short of the position needed to reach The Masters in 2024, at 133rd.
Thomas Pieters
The Belgian provides a strong example of just how rapidly a fall in the world rankings can occur after signing for LIV Golf.
The six-time DP World Tour winner was 35th when he signed for LIV Golf only a year ago, but despite appearances in six events offering points since his switch in time for the 2023 LIV Golf League season, he largely failed to impress in any of them, and now stands at 268th.
Patrick Reed
Reed joined LIV Golf around the same time as DeChambeau, and the American's fall down the rankings has been somewhat similar to his compatriot's, albeit not as severe. Reed was 36th when he signed up, but he has not been afraid to play in world ranking events whenever he gets the opportunity.
Reed has made appearances on the DP World Tour, the Asian Tour and Majors since his move, with starts at 14 world ranking events, including some strong performances. Because of that, he remains in the world's top 100, just, at World No.98.
Bubba Watson
Unlike many LIV golfers, Watson is assured of a place at The Masters thanks to his two victories at Augusta National, but he would do well not to look to his world ranking to qualify for the remaining three.
After surgery on his right knee, Watson was already slipping down the list when he joined LIV Golf at the end of July 2022, and his injury kept him out of action for the remainder of the year.
As a result, he has played in just two world ranking events since joining LIV Golf, and he missed the cut at both, leaving him in at 1,273rd on the list.
Lee Westwood
Westwood is another LIV Golf player who has graced the top of the world rankings, and he still held a respectable 78th when he signed in time for the first event.
However, it’s been mainly downhill from there despite appearances at seven world ranking events since, including a T13 at the 2022 BMW PGA Championship and ninth at the 2023 Indonesian Masters on the Asian Tour.
Nowadays, Westwood is 803rd on the list, and likely ruing a series of near misses at all four Majors during his career, most recently with a T4 at the 2019 Open.
