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via Reuters

via Reuters

The sports world has seen a lot of drama surrounding the game of golf. One of the most recent ones includes the Official World Golf Ranking denying the Saudi-backed LIV Golf any points. However, the same cannot be said for the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. The two circuits receive a lot of backing from the OWGR, as opposed to the Middle Eastern league, which is left biting the dust. It leaves the much-asked question by the fans of the alternate tour: is the system designed to rate the athletes of the game who are engaged in the sport all around the world doing their best?

However, even when it comes to the two tours, the idea of fairness does not seem to hold. The OWGR had earlier awarded more points to the PGA Tour as opposed to the European circuit. Additionally, with Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge fast approaching, the world ranking system has decided to award OWGR points for the “unofficial” event of the calendar. And, with it, another question arose: is the legend of the game the main reason such a decision was taken while sidelining the DPWT?

Tiger Woods’ presence and OWGR points: are they connected?

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The sport of golf has seen a lot of athletes make their way to the top of the game. However, none has ever managed to do so like the Woods. However, with his accident and the surgeries that followed, the 82-time PGA Tour champ was forced to withdraw from the 2023 Masters tournament, leading to a seven-month hiatus amidst recovery. He is now set to return to the course at the Hero World Challenge, a tournament that is not part of the PGA Tour’s official calendar. And, unsurprisingly enough, OWGR did not sit still!

The world ranking body had earlier awarded the final event of the year on the fall season of the PGA Tour with more points than the season-finale of the European circuit. They had announced that the champion of the RSM Classic will receive 38.74470 points, while the winner of its European counterpart will be awarded 27.71108. Although the field included many big names such as Rory McIlroy, John Rahm, and Viktor Hovland, the PGA Tour getting 11 more points did bring a lot of criticism to the body.

However, it can be, in a way, attributed to the field that the two tournaments boast. The RSM Classic had a total of 156 players duking it out, while the DP World Tour Championship only had 50. But if so, then what about the Hero World Challenge, which only has 20 golfers playing in it? Only one reason comes to mind: Tiger Woods. The return of the 15X major winner is something that is under a lot of spotlight. The golfer is currently at the lowest-ever world ranking of his 27-year-long professional career. However, if Mr. T were to win at the upcoming unofficial PGA Tour competition, he would be able to jump “1150 places… to #160-170.”

However, with the 47-year-old fresh out of recovery, chances are very slim that he would be able to clinch the top spot, although many are hoping. His last appearance saw him withdraw from the 2023 Masters, while in the 2022 edition of the major, the professional finished T47. But even if the worst comes true for Woods and he finishes last, hope is not lost for the legend.

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OWGR’s role in the possible resurgence of Woods’ 27-year career

The 1997 Masters Tournament Champion would find himself in a better position even if he finished last on the leaderboard, thanks to the OWGR awarding the event that the Hall of Famer is hosting with enough points. The 82X PGA Tour winner would be able to “jump at least 350 places in the world rankings” all the while sneaking his way “back inside the top 1000.”

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It seems unfair, doesn’t it? Well, the tournament does include the elite players of the men’s circuit, excluding the LIV golfers who jumped ships following the inception of the Saudi-backed league in 2021. Besides, adding Tiger Woods and his comeback to the roster does increase the importance of the event, thereby making it an integral part of the PGA Tour despite its so-called unofficial status. Additionally, the golfer’s presence does tower over the rest of the field due to the number of victories he has had at this tournament over the years when it was known by a different name, which is a major reason why many people attribute such significance to the competition.

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The golfing world would surely be looking to see who would come out on top at the Hero World Challenge. However, they would be all the more curious as to how many places Mr. T would climb up, courtesy of OWGR.

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