LIV Golf tried to get eligible tour status from the OWGR once in 2023. However, it failed miserably, as Peter Dawson and team denied the application without any second thoughts. Now that the leadership on both sides has changed, LIV reapplied for eligible tour status in July 2025. Although LIV didn’t get approval in 2023, a quiet shift behind the scenes has pulled it closer to something it has tried to chase since day one.

That movement came into focus through comments from Asian Tour CEO Cho Minn Thant. When talking to Bunkered.co.uk, Thant hinted that discussions have been steady and positive. The interviewer asked if taking two golfers from the Asian Tour would help LIV achieve its OWGR eligibility status.

“Yeah, I think Scott (O’ Neil, LIV CEO) and Trevor Immelman have been having regular talks, and they’ve worked to a point where they’re very close. There have to be some small changes going forward, but I think Scott’s really open to it. I think they’ll probably resolve something very soon, I think. And I think the promotions and the demotions have a big part to play in that,” Cho Minn Thant said.

Scott O’Neil has already made many significant changes to get the OWGR approval. LIV is accepting two golfers leading the Order of Merit in Asia and two from its promotional event. To top that, it is moving from its 54-hole format to the standard 72-hole format. Many LIV golfers, including Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Dustin Johnson, have had positive comments about the move. This shows that O’Neil will be very accepting of any further changes required to get the eligibility status.

Moreover, the two have been getting closer since their first interaction. This may or may not impact the end result, but it could be a positive sign for LIV. For instance, after their first meeting at the Masters 2025, Immelman said that he enjoyed getting to know O’Neil. “I have enjoyed getting to know Scott O’Neil over the last few months,” he said. “We’ve spoken on the phone a couple of times. We met in person at the Masters, just really introduction stuff.”

The same goes for Scott O’Neil. The LIV CEO said that he is in good contact with Immelman. “We have filed an application, and I’m in pretty good contact with Trevor Immelman. We have a call later this week,” O’Neil said.

Scott O’Neil has made these moves in accordance with the feedback LIV received in 2023. When Peter Dawson and team denied the league’s application back then, the major problem was its format. The OWGR said that LIV’s format makes it hard for them to rank golfers equally. Another point mentioned was LIV’s close-roster format. Thus, adding new golfers to the roster and moving to the 72-hole format can increase their chances.

“If two go up from the International Series and two go in from the LIV Golf Promotions event, that’s four straight away. I haven’t heard the latest when it comes to signings from each team, but I’m not sure every player is going to be retained, so there might be room for more,” Cho Minn Thant said.

If this gets LIV Golf an eligible tour status, it will end misery for Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, and co. For instance, Michael Kim recently took a hilarious jab at Rahm over this very aspect. A fan asked Kim who he thinks is the most underrated golfer outside of the top 50 in OWGR. And it was easy for Kim to answer, as he replied with Rahm’s name. Since Rahm and other LIV golfers don’t receive OWGR points, their world rankings are declining every week. But getting an eligible tour status could change this.

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OWGR points eligibility will help LIV Golf with better negotiations

One of the primary reasons many golfers are not joining LIV despite the big contracts is that they don’t have OWGR status. But if they get it, LIV will become more attractive to golfers on both the PGA and the DP World Tour. This would put LIV on more equal footing with both the tours in the battle for player contracts and endorsements.

This will also improve Scott O’Neil’s negotiating power. The PGA Tour has once declined LIV’s $1.5 billion deal, making them look like fools. But if they could attract bigger stars after OWGR status, O’Neil will have a better advantage compared to the last time. And there’s also the ongoing Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton stance on the DP World Tour fines in the mix. That decision can affect both Rahm and Hatton’s participation in the 2027 Ryder Cup, something the DP World Tour board will consider closely.

All in all, if Scott O’Neil can work with Trevor Immelman to become an eligible tour for the OWGR points, it will open many paths for the league to move forward.