Jon Rahm hits out at ‘laughable’ world ranking points system

Jon Rahm believes LIV Golf must wait to be awarded world ranking points which he feels have been rendered “laughable” by the updated system.

Changes implemented earlier this year include points being awarded to each player making the cut and the total on offer being calculated on every player in the field, rather than just those in the world’s top 200.

However, that has contributed to situations where this week’s RSM Classic will award 37 points to the winner despite having no players ranked inside the world’s top 25, while the DP World Tour Championship has seven of the top 25 but offers just 21.8 points.

“I’m going to be as blunt as I can,” Rahm told a press conference in Dubai. “I think the OWGR right now is laughable. The fact that the RSM doesn’t have any of the top 25 in the world and has more points than this event where we have seven of the top 25 is laughable.

“The fact that Wentworth (BMW PGA Championship) had less points than Napa (Fortinet Championship) despite having players in the top 10 in the world is laughable.

“I understand what they are trying to do with the depth of field but having the best players in the world automatically makes the tournament better. I don’t care what their system says. I think they have made a mistake.

“I think some aspects of it might be beneficial but I think they have devalued the value of the better players. The 30 best players of the year should not be punished because it’s a smaller field. Depth of field doesn’t mean better tournament.

“I could go on and on. I think they have missed the mark on that stance quite a bit.

“Would you rather win a tournament when you have the number one player in the world there or because you have the 30th or sixth there? I think it’s more valuable if you’re beating the best players in the world. I think a lot of people would agree and I think it should reflect that.

“At least the point gap shouldn’t be as vastly different as it is right now. Because we are not talking about the best PGA Tour events in the season where you have multiple, multiple high-ranked players.

“We are talking about a tournament that doesn’t even have one player in the top 20. That to me is an issue when you have seven of them here.”

LIV Golf officially applied for the right to award ranking points for its 54-hole events in July and were quick to urge the OWGR to grant their request, even though the process usually takes at least a year.

The Saudi-funded league also unsuccessfully attempted to circumvent that process by forming a “strategic alliance” with the MENA Tour, a Dubai-based circuit which has been recognised by the OWGR since 2016.

“We need to stop giving LIV the publicity, that’s the first thing I’m going to say,” Rahm added. “I think a lot of people are against them having world ranking points. I’m not necessarily against it but there should be adjustments.

“If your requirement is to have world ranking points as 72 holes and a cut, maybe you don’t award them 100 per cent of the points since they are not fulfilling all of the requirements.

“I also believe, it’s probably a couple-year process, so they need to respect that as every other tour has.

“They do have some incredible players. To say that Dustin (Johnson) wasn’t one of the best players this year would be a mistake. So I think they could be awarded. I just don’t know where the math, how we could work it out.

“I don’t know if they necessarily deserve 100 per cent.”