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OWGR: Jon Rahm out of Top 50

(Foto: Getty)
(Foto: Getty)

The Genesis Invitational caused some movement in the top 10 of the world rankings. At the top of the world golf rankings, Scottie Scheffler unsurprisingly remains in first place, followed by Xander Schauffele in second, while Rory McIlroy missed out on catching up with Schauffele thanks to a mediocre weekend performance. Ludvig Aberg’s win sees him move up from 6th to 4th place, while Collin Morikawa and Hideki Matsuyama both drop one place as a result. Places 7 to 10 include Wyndham Clark, Tyrrell Hatton, Justin Thomas, who improved from 11th to 9th with a top finish at Torrey Pines, and Tommy Fleetwood, who moved up from 12th to the top 10. Thomas is back in the world’s top 10 for the first time since the spring of 2023.

Further down, Jon Rahm drops out of the top 50 in the world rankings for the first time since 2017. Since his switch to LIV in December 2023, he has missed out on quite a few world ranking points and is ranked 52nd this week. Interestingly, team-mate Hatton, who switched at a similar time, is still successfully holding his own in the top 10 thanks to his excellent record on the DP World Tour, including two victories.

See the complete Official World Golf Ranking here

How the OWGR works

The World Golf Ranking lists all professional golfers who have collected world ranking points. It refers to the last two years. Points collected more than two years ago expire at the end of the corresponding calendar week. The player who has the best points average in relation to the number of tournaments played is at the top of the world golf ranking list and not necessarily the player who has collected the most points in absolute terms (points collected: number of tournaments played). The maximum number of tournaments included in the World Golf Ranking is 52. If a player plays more in the relevant scoring period, the last 52 results are counted. The minimum divisor is 40. How many points are awarded for the World Golf Ranking for a tournament depends on the strength of the field taking part.

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LIV Tour

LIV Golf: Patrick Reed’s Hole-in-One Sends Adelaide into a Frenzy

Patrick Reed aces the 12th hole at LIV Golf Adelaide. (Photo: Getty)

It took less than half an hour for LIV Golf Adelaide to serve up its first unforgettable moment in the first round. Former Masters champion Patrick Reed stood on the iconic 12th hole at The Grange Golf Club—dubbed the “Watering Hole.” A short par 3, framed by a sea of revelers primed for fireworks. And then came the shot: The ball landed, rolled, and disappeared into the cup. The already frenzied grandstand erupted. Beer cups flew skyward, rained down onto the fairway and green, and Reed, arms thrust in triumph, basked in the chaos. A hole-in-one on this stage? A guaranteed spectacle.

See the Full Leaderboard

Reed’s Shot Causes LIV Golf Frenzy

Reed’s start had been anything but remarkable. Opening his round on the 11th in LIV’s shotgun format, he stumbled out of the gate with a bogey. But the 12th hole, a par-3, flipped the script. A crisp strike, an ideal ball flight, a clean landing—and just like that, the ball disappeared.

An Ace for an Ace(s)

If there’s a hole built for these moments, it’s the 12th. Chase Koepka’s ace here in 2023 set the precedent, and Reed’s effort only added to the lore. As his ball vanished, the crowd detonated in celebration. Drinks took flight, cups littered the green, and Reed soaked in the moment, grinning ear to ear. Northern Ireland’s commentator David Feherty summed it up dryly: “Well, that didn’t take long.” The atmosphere rivaled the electric 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale, known for producing golf’s biggest party moments.

First-Round Takeaways

Despite the magic moment, Reed couldn’t sustain the momentum, finishing the day at one-over par. Meanwhile, Sam Horsfield surged to the top of the leaderboard, carding six birdies for a six-under-par round.

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LIV Tour

McKibbin and his LIV movement: Pragmatists or pioneers of the contemporary spirit?

Tom McKibbin at the Porsche European Open. (Image: getty)
Tom McKibbin at the Porsche European Open. (Image: getty)

Tom McKibbin is probably the best known of the six new additions to the LIV Golf League 2025. With 292,500 dollars for a tie for 15th place, the Northern Irishman only collected around 50,000 dollars less at the season opener than for winning the Porsche European Open 2023 on the DP World Tour. And there will probably be a share of the team success in Riyadh anyway, which will earn Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII three million dollars. McKibbin’s move to the competitive circuit is therefore likely to have already paid off, for which he even threw Rory McIlroy’s advice to the wind. The two share the same home club, Holywood GC near Belfast, and the four-time major winner – a millennial by the way – had advised his young colleague to work his way up the DP World Tour and make a go of it on the PGA Tour, for which McKibbin qualified last year: “If I were you, I’d make a different decision to the one you’re thinking of making. It would be a waste of your enormous potential.”

McKibbin on missing out: “I am not in these Majors anyway”

But McKibbin didn’t care and chose the penuncle. Of course, if he was offered such prospects – why not take them? The Northern Irishman is just the latest in a series of young players to follow the call of fast money: Money first, what’s the rocky road to the majors or team competitions like the Ryder Cup compared to that. McKibbin’s mantra in this regard could not be more pragmatic and is as telling as it is significant: “I’m not in these majors at the moment anyway, so it doesn’t bother me too much.” He was number 106 in the world when he switched sides, but now there are no more OWGR points for the time being. And the appointment to the GB&I team for the Team Cup 2025, i.e. the nomination to the extended circle of European Ryder Cuppers, doesn’t seem to have triggered a surge of ambition either: Profession instead of vocation, the path of least resistance and work-life balance instead of competitive toughness and perseverance. And that at the age of 22. Oh, right, McKibbin has an excuse for that too: “I made this decision because I’m young. It [LIV] is something completely different; something that probably appeals to more people my age.”

For some, this fulfills every cliché that is often attributed to Generation Z and the attitude of these so-called millennial children towards challenges. For example, the management consultant and lawyer Susanne Nickel, who wrote a book in 2024 entitled “Verzogen, verweichlicht, verletzt” (Spoiled, effeminate, hurt) and defines Gen Z as the product of an affluent society that tends to overprotect and lacks discipline, motivation and resilience. So, if the Zoomers determine the zeitgeist, McKibbin would be a “model boy”.

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LIV Tour

US Open awards starting places to LIV golfers

US Open exemption for LIV Golfers. (Photo: Getty)
US Open exemption for LIV Golfers. (Photo: Getty)

Until now, LIV golfers could only qualify directly for the biggest tournaments of the year via the world ranking, unless they had already qualified for majors through past successes. Without world ranking points, however, this becomes more and more difficult, which is why the USGA now provides a full exemption for a LIV golfer at the US Open 2025.

US Open introduces qualification criteria for LIV golfers

Already this year, a place in the field will be awarded to the best LIV golfer who has not yet qualified for the US Open at Oakmont Country Club and is in the top 3 of the LIV Golf individual rankings (as of 19 May 2025). In addition, the top 10 in the LIV Golf individual rankings (as of 7 April 2025) will receive a place in local qualifying for the major tournament and can therefore also qualify.

In 2026, there will additionally be a direct starting place for the best, not yet qualified LIV Golf player from the top 3 of the 2025 final ranking, as well as places for local qualifying based on the top 10 of the final ranking.

‘The USGA continues to evaluate the opportunities that exist to e“The USGA continues to evaluate the pathways that exist to ensure those playing their best have the opportunity to compete in our national championship,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA chief championships officer. “Consistent with our historical approach, we continuously evaluate talent levels on professional tours and in amateur events, which has led us to add a new exemption category.”

LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil is delighted by the news. “We’re pleased that the USGA has formally created a new exemption for LIV Golf players to compete in the U.S. Open and appreciate Mike Whan’s leadership and commitment to growing the game of golf. Every golf fan in the world longs to see the greatest players in the world competing on golf’s biggest stages at the majors.

The US Open is the first major tournament to follow this path. The PGA Championship has extended a special invitation to LIV golfer Joaquin Niemann, as it did in 2024.

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LIV Tour

LIV Golf: Tom McKibbin transfers – teams for 2025 are set

Tom McKibbin joins LIV Golf. (Image: Getty)
Tom McKibbin joins LIV Golf. (Image: Getty)

Tom McKibbin is joining the Jon Rahm-led Legion XIII team and will play golf at LIV Golf in 2025. The transfer of the 22-year-old Northern Irishman, who is considered a close friend of Rory McIlroy, had already been expected and has now been officially confirmed. Like McIlroy, McKibbin comes from Holywood Golf Club in Northern Ireland. McKibbin had not commented on the first rumors regarding a move to LIV, which emerged at the beginning of January. He secured a PGA Tour card for the first time last season in 2024, but is now forgoing it in favor of his start at LIV. In response to the rumors, McIlroy explained at a press conference that he had spoken to McKibbin on the phone and clearly advised him against the switch.

Jon Rahm personally announces in an Instagram post that McKibbin will complete his team in the 2025 LIV season and welcomes him:

The LIV season starts next week from February 6 to 8 at the Riyadh Golf Club in Saudi Arabia, where 13 teams will compete with four players each. There have been several changes in the run-up to the event: back in December 2024, it was announced that Dane Frederik Kjettrup would be joining the Cleeks GC managed by Martin Kaymer, while Spaniard Luis Masaveu was announced as a new member of the Fireballs GC under team captain Sergio Garcia.

The complete overview of the LIV teams

Team Player
4Aces GC
  • Dustin Johnson (USA), Captain
  • Thomas Pieters (Belgium)
  • Adrian Meronk (Poland)
  • Harold Varner III (USA)
Cleeks GC
  • Martin Kaymer (Germany), Captain
  • Richard Bland (England)
  • Patrick Reed (USA)
  • Frederik Kjettrup (Denmark)
Crushers GC
  • Bryson DeChambeau (USA) Captain
  • Paul Casey (England)
  • Charles Howell III (USA)
  • Anirban Lahiri (India)
Fireballs GC
  • Sergio Garcia (Spain), Captain
  • Abraham Ancer (Mexico)
  • Luis Masaveu (Spain)
  • David Puig (Spain)
HyFlyers GC
  • Phil Mickelson (USA), Captain
  • Andy Ogletree (USA)
  • Brendan Steele (USA)
  • Cameron Tringale (USA)
Iron Heads GC
  • Kevin Na (USA), Captain
  • Jinichiro Kozuma (Japan)
  • Yubin Jang (South Korea)
  • Danny Lee (New Zeeland)
Legion XIII
  • Jon Rahm (Spain), Captain
  • Tyrrell Hatton (England)
  • Caleb Surratt (USA)
  • Tom McKibbin (Northern Ireland)
Majesticks GC
  • Ian Poulter (England), Captain
  • Henrik Stenson (Sweden), Captain
  • Lee Westwood (England), Captain
  • Sam Horsfield (England)
RangeGoats GC
  • Bubba Watson (USA), Captain
  • Ben Campbell (New Zeeland)
  • Peter Uihlein (USA)
  • Matthew Wolff (USA)
Ripper GC
  • Cameron Smith (Australia), Captain
  • Lucas Herbert (Australia)
  • Matt Jones (Australia)
  • Marc Leishman (Australia)
Smash GC
  • Brooks Koepka (USA), Captain
  • Talor Gooch (USA)
  • Jason Kokrak (USA)
  • Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland)
Stinger GC
  • Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa), Captain
  • Dean Burmester (South Africa)
  • Branden Grace (South Africa)
  • Charl Schwartzel (South Africa)
Torque GC
  • Joaquin Niemann (Chile), Captain
  • Sebastian Munoz (Columbia)
  • Carlos Ortiz (Mexico)
  • Mito Pereira (Chile)
Wild Card Players
  • Anthony Kim (USA)
  • Max Lee (Taiwan)
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LIV Tour PGA Tour

PGA destroys LIV Golf: A showdown at Shadow Creek

The Showdown: Brooks Koepka and DeChambeau (LIV) against Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy (PGA) (Photo: Getty)
The Showdown: Brooks Koepka and DeChambeau (LIV) against Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy (PGA) (Photo: Getty)

It was billed as a clash of giants, but in the end the “showdown” between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour at Shadow Creek turned out to be a one-sided affair. Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy (PGA Tour) gave their opponents Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka (LIV Golf) no chance and showed who currently has the upper hand in professional golf.

Rory McIlroy’s: A picture-book eagle putt

Scheffler and McIlroy made it clear from the very first minute that they had arrived as favorites. Rory McIlroy, who was on top form right from the start, provided the highlight of the evening with an eagle putt over 12 meters on the fourth hole. “Rory’s start was important for our team,” said Scheffler, praising his partner. This gave the PGA stars an unassailable lead early on.

Rusty and outclassed: LIV remains without a chance

DeChambeau and Koepka, who had not competed since the end of the LIV season in September, looked visibly rusty and were unable to counter the pressure from their opponents.

The format of the match was divided into three segments: a six-hole four-ball match, a six-hole four-ball match and singles matches over the last six holes. Despite the different formats, the LIV players were not in the lead in any of the matches. In the four-ball, they were already hopelessly behind after just four holes, and Koepka also sealed the loss of points in the foursome with a three-putt bogey on the last hole.

The singles matches on the last six holes finally decided the outcome: McIlroy and Scheffler won confidently, and the match ended on the 16th hole – before the spectators even got to see the famous par-3 17th hole at Shadow Creek.

DeChambeau, who wore an oversized jacket against the chilly evening air during the match, was nevertheless combative: “I’d love to get another opportunity,” said DeChambeau. “It was a bit of a pillow fight for us.”

Scheffler and McIlroy’s victory earned them 5 million dollars each in cryptocurrency and capped off a successful year for both players. Scheffler had previously won in the Bahamas, while McIlroy had won the European Tour final in Dubai.

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LIV Tour

New Rumor: LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman about to Be Replaced?

Greg Norman soon to be replaced as LIV Golf CEO? (Image: Getty)
Greg Norman soon to be replaced as LIV Golf CEO? (Image: Getty)

While talks about a possible collaboration between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour remain without concrete results, there is now a new rumor surrounding the league sponsored by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund. As the Sports Business Journal (SBJ) reports based on unspecified sources, LIV Golf is looking for a successor to CEO Greg Norman. The news comes just a few weeks after the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, where PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings and PIF boss Yasir Al-Rumayyan played alongside Rory McIlroy.

The latter had already called for Norman’s resignation earlier this year in favor of better LIV-PGA cooperation, “I think Greg needs to go. I think he just needs to exit stage left. He’s made his mark but I think now is the right time to say you’ve got this thing off the ground but no one’s going to talk unless there’s an adult in the room that can actually try to mend fences.”

LIV Golf: Will Greg Norman Be Replaced soon?

As SBJ reports, the search for a new CEO has been underway for several months. The London agency “Odgers Berndtson” is probably leading the search for the PIF and is looking at sports stars worldwide. This agency has already led the search for new directors and CEOs for Saudi Arabia in other sports, most recently for the soccer club Newcastle United in July of this year.

According to SBJ, Brett Yormak was supposed to have been a possible candidate. The Big 12 Commissioner is said to have already been in talks with the agency, but these were unsuccessful according to reports. The Big 12 is an American collage league consisting of 16 universities with various sports disciplines, including American football and golf.

It is not yet clear exactly what will happen next for Greg Norman. However, international media speculation suggests that he will remain with LIV Golf in the future, but in a new role.

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LIV Tour PGA Tour Top Tours

„The Showdown“: New Details on the PGA Tour versus LIV Golf Duel

Brooks Koepka (left) will team up with Bryson DeChambeau against Rory McIlroy (right) and Scottie Scheffler. (Image: Getty)
Brooks Koepka (left) will team up with Bryson DeChambeau against Rory McIlroy (right) and Scottie Scheffler. (Image: Getty)

As was announced at the beginning of September, PGA Tour players Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler will compete in a team duel against LIV stars Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau. Now there are more details about the clash: The event will take place on December 17, 2024 at Shadow Creek Golf Club in Las Vegas, and could pave the way for more similar competitions.

PGA Tour versus LIV Golf: Who, when, where and how? – All details

The duel of the tours is called “The Showdown”. It will be a first for four of the biggest names in golf: McIlroy and Scheffler for the PGA Tour, as well as Koepka and DeChambeau for LIV Golf. The format of the duel has not yet been fully determined, but a kind of match play over 18 holes is expected. There will also be no prize money.

It will be broadcast by the US channel TNT, which is already known for the series “The Match”, in which prominent golfers such as Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson competed against each other. Despite the similar concept, “The Showdown” is not part of this series, but is an independent event.

Plans for the future

“The Showdown” could be the first of several matches between PGA and LIV players. There are already plans to expand this format in the future, with larger teams of possibly six or eight players per side. It is also planned that the duel will take place at least once a year and be played alternately in the USA and internationally.

This match offers fans a rare opportunity to see the best players from both tours come together more often than just at majors. Since the inception of LIV Golf, the question of whether the world rankings accurately reflect the skill levels of all players has been raised time and time again: As LIV events do not provide world ranking points, the LIV players slip further and further down the rankings.

PGA Tour players and LIV Tour players hardly ever meet in their regular tournament calendars. This year, they only competed in majors and at the Olympic Games: World number one Scottie Scheffler won the Masters and the gold medal at the Olympics. Bryson DeChambeau also won another major this year, narrowly beating Rory McIlroy at the US Open in Pinehurst. Koepka secured his fifth major victory last year at the PGA Championship.

Matches between players on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf could help to resolve uncertainties about playing strength. This is also the hope of Bryson DeChambeau, who spoke at an LIV Golf event in Chicago: “I think it’s going to develop over the course of time and hopefully give the people what they want.” It is possible that the match will become a regular feature of golf, regardless of the ongoing negotiations between the PGA and the LIV financiers.

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LIV Tour

LIV Golf Team Championship: Cameron Smith and Ripper GC Celebrate in Dallas

LIV Golf Team Championship 2024: Cameron Smith and Ripper GC win in Dallas. (Photo: Getty)
LIV Golf Team Championship 2024: Cameron Smith and Ripper GC win in Dallas. (Photo: Getty)

After Jon Rahm was crowned ‘Individual Champion’ last week, the LIV Golf Tour in Dallas decided the Team Championship this week. Without the participation of the defending champions Crushers GC around captain Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, who was ill, the Australian team Ripper GC prevailed against the competition on the final day.

The Complete Leaderboard of the LIV Golf Team Championship 2024

LIV Golf: Ripper GC Wins the Team Championship in Dallas

On the final day of the LIV Golf Team Championship in Dallas, team captain Cameron Smith and Ripper GC lived up to their role as favorites. In addition to the two surprise teams 4Aces GC and Iron Heads GC, who only finished 10th in the season rankings and, in the case of Iron Heads, a distant 13th, Ripper GC also had to deal with second-placed Legion XIII in the final. However, without Jon Rahm, who was ill, the newly formed team was clearly weakened. While Tyrrell Hatton did everything in his power with a round of 68 to make up for the Spaniard’s absence, it was Kieran Vincent’s weak round of 73 that ultimately made the difference. The one stroke over par was the weakest score among the four final teams. At Ripper GC, captain Cameron Smith was able to rely on the performance of his teammates (Herbert 69, Jones 70, Leishman 70) and successfully led the team to the Team Championship (-11) with a joint best score of the day of 68 strokes. Second place was shared by 4Aces GC and Iron Heads GC with the two captains Dustin Johnson and Kevin Na (-8).

After the final round, team captain Cameron Smith was visibly relieved: “Yeah, it was pretty unreal. Yeah, so proud. There was something in me that was going to tell me that the boys were going to come through. The Gladiator, the last four of the five holes, pretty unbelievable. Really cool stuff. I mean, to be a part of this is unreal, especially with these guys.”

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Top Tours

PGA of America Gives LIV Golfers Ryder Cup Clearance

PGA of America allows Ryder Cup participation by LIV Golfers. (Photo: Getty)
PGA of America allows Ryder Cup participation by LIV Golfers. (Photo: Getty)

The PGA of America officially reinstates LIV Golfers to its ranks. LIV Golf has been added to the list of tours whose players are eligible for membership in the PGA of America. This means that LIV Golf League players are officially eligible to play in the Ryder Cup and the PGA Championship. The LIV players who have competed in the PGA Championship and, like Brooks Koepka, the Ryder Cup in recent years were allowed to do so on a grace period basis, which allowed them to retain their membership status until 2024.

PGA of America accepts LIV Golf

“Going forward, all LIV Golf players are eligible for the PGA Championship and any American player who qualifies for the Ryder Cup on points or is added to the U.S. team as a captain’s pick is eligible to compete,2 said the PGA of America. Kerry Haigh, Chief Championships Officer and interim CEO of the association, also told Golf Channel that it was more of a clean up. “The LIV players had previously been [PGA of America] members but had we not done this they would have had to go through more requirements which no other tour members are asked to do.”

No change to the qualification criteria

What has not yet changed for LIV golfers are the qualifying criteria for the PGA of America events. There is still no additional way for LIV golfers to secure a place in the PGA Championship and for the Ryder Cup they only have the opportunity to collect points at major tournaments. Bryson DeChambeau, for example, is currently third in the American qualifying list for the 2025 Ryder Cup after his outstanding performance in major tournaments this year.

LIV Golf and the Ryder Cup have also recently been a topic of discussion on the DP World Tour. The minimum requirements for LIV golfers at the Ryder Cup would be to maintain DP World Tour membership by playing at least four tournaments away from the majors and paying the penalty for illegal participation in LIV tournaments. Jon Rahm, who was an important member of the European Ryder Cup team in previous events, does not want to pay the fine. By appealing against the fine, however, he is buying himself some time to at least fulfil the requirements of Tour membership.

Jon Rahm and the Ryder Cup Question