“Peculiar” is one word to describe LIV’s format transition from 54 to 72 holes, as European star Rory McIlroy put it. The latest LIV move to be more OWGR-compliant feels misplaced, according to numerous golfers and analysts alike. McIlroy has joined the conversation, expressing how a simple format change wouldn’t move the needle. However, while analysts agree on that part, they believe there’s more to the underlying reason.

Discussing the latest move to a 72-hole field span across 4 days, DJ and Soly of the No Laying Up podcast made it clear that the move in itself is insufficient. “I think maybe part of the more frustrating part of it is if I were to say, “Why are they doing this?” I think the answer would be — for OWGR points,” Soly quipped on the podcast. “I don’t think this — I think this maybe addresses one percent of the OWGR problem they have to begin with.”

Rory McIlroy said something similar when he shared that the format wasn’t holding the league back. Rather, he believes that, being a disruptive event, not having OWGR sanction for so long contributes to the uselessness of such movements now. He shared that the LIV golfers are already well behind the curve in terms of OWGR rankings, so it wouldn’t really make a difference if the league suddenly began offering world ranking points now.

“Because their strength of fields are going to be so weak — a lot of the guys have fallen already in the rankings because they’ve not had ranking points for so long — I don’t know if the ranking points are really going to benefit them,” McIlroy shared.

However, Soly argues that Rory McIlroy misunderstands how OWGR works. He revealed how the OWGR system has changed over the past few years. “Rory’s off on that part, because a few years ago, when the OWGR changed how they distribute points, they changed how they measure the strength a player adds to the field.”

The OWGR no longer uses raw ranking position to calculate the field strength. It uses a strokes-gained-based performance rating for each player. That means that a golfer’s statistical performance over the course of their recent starts matters much more than their world rankings. It helps golfers who have fallen behind quickly pick up pace, defeating McIlroy’s concerns.

Citing the recent Abu Dhabi Championship as an example, Soly explained how OWGR determines a golfer’s field strength. Tyrell Hatton, ranked 21st globally, contributed 10 points to the field. In contrast, Alex Norén, placed higher at 17th, contributed only 5.6 points. The actual difference? It was their strokes gained ratings on the PGA Tour, with Hatton’s at 2.01, while Noren’s was at 1.43. This reflects how Hatton’s skills increased his worth and rating inside the Tour, rather than OWGR standings.

“So it’s no longer, ‘You’re ranked 90th, you add this many points.’ Now it’s based on your strokes gained. It’s a much fairer measure of talent in the field,” Soly countered Rory McIlroy’s argument.

But the analysts agree that LIV’s move won’t change much on its own.

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The actual sore point for LIV’s OWGR battles

LIV’s doing everything to become ‘OWGR-friendly.’ But it feels like it is continually ignoring the biggest needle-mover—the pathway to the tour. DJ shared his perspective on the No Laying Up podcast:

“The much, much bigger part, if I’m understanding it correctly — which I think I am — is the pathway to get to the tour. The fact that you just go out and sign Tom McKibben and say, “Hey, you got a spot in every field. Whether you finish first or last doesn’t matter — you’re in,” DJ explained.

Unlike the other tours, where there is a clear system and criteria for how to get into the circuit and retain that position, LIV is mostly contract-based. While it has announced promotions and relegations more recently, it is still heavily reliant on signing up contracts with marquee golfers, like Bryson DeChambeau. From that perspective, OWGR isn’t of much meaning for LIV, where tracing the golfers’ spots through a transparent system isn’t quite needed.

As it turns out, the question really boils down to whether LIV follows the OWGR’s spirit or not. Former OWGR commissioner, Peter Dawson, has shared that the 54-hole issue can be solved mathematically, tracing stats for the 3-event in proportion with the 4-day events. But for a league with a closed circuit, a change to 72-holes won’t change much.

“Unfortunately, no way to include LIV Golf in the Ranking could be found, which would be fair and equitable to the 24 currently eligible tours and their thousands of playing members,” Dawson quipped on the actual sore point. “The 54-hole, no-cut events for 48 players were an issue, along with limited access for players to join the venture.”

Surely, the 72-hole format helps the league blend in with other traditional tours better, but as long as there isn’t a clear system for entry and exit from the league, LIV has slim chances of securing OWGR points.

Now, LIV is definitely looking to change that following next year. With the LIV Promotions event in January 2026, the Saudi League is opening its doors to the International Series’ golfers. However, with only two spots, it becomes a pathetic excuse for an open circuit. And that would continue to eat into the league’s chances of getting OWGR sanction.