Skip to content

Closing 2022, how are LIV Golfers "losing" on OWGR?

When the 2021 season ends, perhaps no one in the world of fans can predict the future of the outstanding faces on the Official World Golf Ranking.

However, less than 12 months later, after the strong formation and development of LIV Golf, it was the trigger that ignited every spin in golf. When the Saudi-backed tournament system was born last summer and brought together 12 of the last 26 major champions, those LIV Golfers were gradually left behind in the rankings due to LIV events. to date have not been approved to receive OWGR scores.

Cameron Smith and Phil Mickelson (Getty Images)

Among them, Phil Mickelson is the name that suffers the most "attacks". In early December, the oldest major champion in golf history broke out of the top 200 for the first time in three decades. Currently, Mickelson is ranked 213 in the world.

Before that, Phil Mickelson left the top 100 in March 2021. After that, Mickelson quickly came back to rise nearly 72 places with the PGA Championship. However, since then, Phil Mickelson has not been able to shine at any event, his highest achievement (at the ranking event) is the top 18 PIF Saudi International 2021 in February.

Dustin Johnson, the former World No. 1 who kicked off the 2022 season as a World No. 3 golfer, dropped out of the top 20 in August, ending a streak spanning more than seven years. In this week's chart update, Johnson is currently in the top 41 - the lowest ranking of his career since 2010.

Dustin Johnson wins big in first LIV Golf season

Sergio Garcia has been in the top 100 since 1999, when he was 19 years old. But at the end of November, Garcia's 23-year and 21-week heyday came to an end.

What about Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau? Koepka started the season in the top 16 and has dropped to 52nd place more than half a year after joining LIV Golf, and also set a sad milestone in his career - breaking out of the top 50 for the first time in eight years. As for DeChambeau, after an injury in April, he gradually fell from the top 5 out of the top 20 for the first time since August 2018. DeChambeau is currently ranked 67th in the world.

In 2021, Louis Oosthuizen all finished in the top 3 at 3 out of 4 major events. And then at the end of the 2022 season, the South African golfer is at risk of missing 75% of the professional tournaments of 2023 (except for the special chance to attend The Open Championship until age 60 thanks to winning in 2010) after falling behind. However, a 7th overall finish at DP World Tour's Alfred Dunhill Championship (DP World Tour) a few weeks ago has put him in 50th place - but still a dangerous and alarming line.

Here is the change in rank of LIV Golfers on OWGR after joining the Saudi Arabia circuit:

Player

OWGR rank at the beginning of the 2022 season

OWGR rank at the end of the 2022 season

Joaquin Niemann

19

22

Abraham Ancer

22

32

Paul Casey

31

58

Kevin Na

34

49

Talor Gooch

35

40

Jason Kokrak

36

47

Patrick Reed

39

72

Richard Bland

67

90

Matt Jones

69

110

Matthew Wolff

77

151

Lee Westwood

78

164

Ian Poulter

92

143

Bernd Wiesberger

94

123

Carlos Ortiz

119

230

Charles Howell III

169

265

Henrik Stenson

173

197

Martin Kaymer

215

476

Graeme McDowell

374

403

Last but not least, the best player recruited by LIV Golf - Cameron Smith. The Australian golfer won his 150th The Players Championship and Open this year, before "defecting" after the FedExCup series of events. Since the victory at St. Andrews, the 29-year-old golfer is still firmly in the 2nd place in the world.

Other Articles