LIV Golf is playing only for cash, not world-ranking points, after the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) board determined it could not fairly measure the 48-man league against the other 24 tours.

“We are not at war with them,” Peter Dawson, OWGR chairman said.

“This decision not to make them eligible is not political. It is entirely technical.

“LIV players are self-evidently good enough to be ranked. They’re just not playing in a format where they can be ranked equitably with the other 24 tours and thousands of players trying to compete on them.”

The committee that rejected LIV’s application comprised leaders from Augusta National, the PGA of America, the US Golf Association and The R&A, which run the four majors. The majors use the OWGR as part of their qualifying criteria.

LIV said a ranking that doesn’t fairly represent all players regardless of where they play would deprive fans and players.

Noting that majors rely on the world ranking, “It also robs some traditional tournaments of the best fields possible”, the organisation said in a statement.

“Professional golf is now without a true or global scoring and ranking system,” the LIV statement said.

“There is no benefit for fans or players from the lack of trust or clarity as long as the best player performances are not recognised.”

LIV Golf, which has two events left in its second season, has 48 players competing over 54 holes with no cut and a $US20 million purse.

Dawson, a non-voting member of the committee, said the OWGR could work around some of the requirements, such as a 36-hole cut and having an average field size of 75 players over the course of a season.

But the committee could not get past what amounts to a closed shop.

LIV Golf League has the same 48 players for the entire season (with alternates in case of injury) and not enough turnover.  Most tours have a turnover rate of 20 to 25 per cent.

Several players were signed to lucrative contracts that assure them a spot on the roster regardless of performance.

LIV Golf made its debut in June 2022, and the lack of world ranking points has taken an enormous toll.

Players who joined the rival league were suspended by the PGA Tour and European tour, and their only access to ranking points was the majors.

When LIV Golf completed its inaugural season, it had 12 players from the top 50 in the world, led by Australia’s British Open champion Cameron Smith, and 24 of the top 100.

In this week’s ranking, Smith (No.15) and PGA champion Brooks Koepka (18) are the only LIV players in the top 50.

“Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, of course they should be in the ranking,” Dawson said.

“We need to find a way to get that done. I hope that LIV can find a solution – not so much their format; that can be dealt with through a mathematical formula – but the qualification and relegation.”