Two weeks ago, LIV Golf formed a ‘strategic alliance’ with the MENA Tour in an effort to expedite the qualification process of earning Official World Golf Ranking points for its members.
Many LIV players have plunged so far down the rankings they now sit in a position where they no longer qualify for major championships.
Majed Al Sorour, the CEO of Saudi Golf, spoke with The New Yorker about the game’s biggest events potentially not allowing LIV members to play.
“For now, the majors are siding with the (PGA) Tour, and I don’t know why. If the majors decide not to have our players play? I will celebrate. I will create my own majors for my players,” he said.
(L-R) Managing Director of LIV Golf Majed Al Sorour and Greg Norman, LIV commissioner acknowledge the crowd during the award presentation ceremony after the LIV Portland event at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Oregon. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
A day after LIV’s alliance with MENA was announced, the OWGR released a statement saying the LIV stops in Bangkok and Jeddah would not receive points and “a review of the changes to the MENA Tour is now underway by the OWGR.”
“Notice of these changes given by the MENA Tour is insufficient to allow OWGR to conduct the customary necessary review ahead of the LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok (October 7-9) and LIV Golf Invitational Jeddah (October 14-16),” the statement read.
Several LIV members are currently qualified for the 2023 Masters, the year’s first major, including Dustin Johnson and Cameron Smith.