WASHINGTON: Players in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series pushed for retroactive world ranking points on Tuesday in an open letter to rankings board chairman Peter Dawson.

The letter, signed by all 48 participants in last week’s Chicago Invitational, asks for recognition of the 54-hole, shotgun start events alongside other world tours where players get ranking points for 72-hole tournaments with much larger fields.

“An OWGR (Official World Golf Rankings) without LIV would be incomplete and inaccurate,” the players said, comparing it to England, Argentina and Belgium being left out of the FIFA rankings.

LIV says it has sought world ranking points for the past two months.

Obtaining world golf ranking points is a vital step for LIV players if they hope to qualify for majors based upon their world ranking, what could be a pivotal step in playing in future major championships.

LIV players were allowed in this year’s US and British Opens, the tour’s June debut coming after qualifying for those events.

World number three Cameron Smith of Australia, who won the British Open in July, won LIV’s Chicago Invitational on Sunday with two-time major winner Dustin Johnson sharing second.

“The level of competition at the average LIV event is at least equal to that at the average PGA Tour event,” the players claimed. “We know because we’ve played in both.”

The letter points out LIV has 21 of the past 51 major winners and notes Johnson’s fall from 13th to 22nd in the world rankings despite a win, runner-up and third-place LIV finish.

“Every week that passes without the inclusion of LIV athletes undermines the historical value of OWGR,” the letter said.

The players took issue with the rankings board and connections by four of eight members to the PGA Tour, “which unfortunately views LIV Golf as an antagonist.”

“The current overwrought environment makes your own judgment crucial,” the players told Dawson. “We call on you to render a positive decision quickly — for the benefit of the integrity of the rankings, the game and all of us who love the sport.”

British Open champion out to prove ‘I am still a great player’
Smith the highest-ranked player to join Saudi-backed circuit

Australia’s British Open champion Cameron Smith has claimed his first LIV Golf victory in only his second start on the lucrative Saudi Arabia-backed circuit with a three-shot triumph over Dustin Johnson and Peter Uihlein just outside Chicago.

Smith, one of 12 major champions in the 48-player field at Rich Harvest Farms, shot a three-under-par 69 in the final round of the 54-hole event on Sunday to reach 13 under and secure the $US4m ($A6m) first prize.

“I think I had to prove to probably myself and some other people that I am still a great player, you know I am still out here to win golf tournaments,” Smith said.

“Proud of how I hung in there today. Didn’t really have my best stuff the first eight or nine holes but stuck it tough and made a few good putts coming in. It was nice.”

The stage was set for a final-round duel between two of the world’s best golfers as overnight leader Smith began the day two shots clear of playing partner Johnson (70), who fell three shots back after a bogey at the first hole.

Both players birdied the second hole but Smith bogeyed the fourth and sixth as Johnson got to within a stroke before the duo carded birdies at the par-five seventh.

Smith opened up a three-shot lead with a birdie at the par-four eighth, where Johnson carded the first of two consecutive bogeys to reach the turn four back and his hopes of becoming the first multiple winner on the LIV Golf series all but dashed.

Uihlein (69) got into the mix and was briefly one shot back of Smith, who was cruising along the back nine until a bogey at the par-three 16th, but the Australian reached the 18th three shots clear after a birdie at the penultimate hole coupled with a late Uihlein bogey.

Smith is the highest-ranked player to join LIV Golf to date and finished fourth in his debut two weeks ago in Boston where he missed out on a three-man playoff by one shot after a bogey on his penultimate hole.

Compatriots Matt Jones (72) finished four under, Jed Morgan (71) and Wade Ormsby (72) four over, and Marc Leishman (78) six over to come home in last place.

While Johnson could not catch Smith he did help his 4 Aces teammates Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch and Pat Perez to victory in the team competition as the squad split a $US3m ($A5.4m) first-place prize for the fourth consecutive event.

The final round was interrupted for a scheduled moment of silence that was observed across the venue in honor of Queen Elizabeth, whose image was shown on screens around the course.

It’s taken months for LIV Golf to deliver what it has long promised to bring to the golf world, but it finally arrived Sunday: the first LIV Golf playoff, a highlight for one of the best golfers in the world and, before that, an hour of absolutely chaotic golf.

Thanks to its everyone-on-the-course-at-once nature, the ending of LIV Golf’s Boston Invitational saw a host of its best players sprinting to the finish. There was Cameron Smith, the No. 2 player in the world and perhaps the most polarizing LIV commit to date. There was Dustin Johnson, two-time major winner and the biggest fish to join at its launch. There was Lee Westwood carding the best round of his season, and Anirban Lahiri nearly making eagle to win the event and Joaquin Niemann, another recent signee, trying to finish what he started. All around them were thousands of lubricated fans creating a boisterous setting at The International Golf Club. Mix it all up in a blender and that’s exactly what LIV wants to serve at its cookouts.

It was Lahiri who who locked up a score of 15 under first, about 10 minutes before the others. Then came Niemann, who preceded Johnson by only a couple minutes. When Johnson got up and down for a par to earn his spot in the playoff, it figured to be a lengthy one that dragged into the night. They’d play the par-5 18th as many times as necessary to crown a champion.

Just seconds later, at least according to the TV broadcast, Westwood stood over his par putt on the 3rd hole, in a completely different part of the course, and for the first time the balance of a tournament hung in the air somewhere other than the 18th hole. Deeply important shots, just seconds apart, adding immediate context to this sprinting format. It’s unlike pro golf as we’ve known it, and it’s still imperfect. You weren’t always sure what hole was a par-4 or a par-5, and it isn’t always obvious whether it was a putt for birdie or a par-saver, but the goods are being served constantly. Do you like this golfy chaos? That’s up to you.

Johnson, Lahiri and Niemann were quickly whisked back to the 18th tee, where Niemann played first, pumping his tee shot into the crowd, bounding off a spectator. That happens everywhere in golf. It’s one of the odd spectator costs of doing business. What wasn’t normal was that we soon learned the fan’s name, Rich, because LIV Golf’s broadcast team stuck a microphone in his face and asked how he was doing. No, we’ve never seen this before. Do you like it? That’s up to you.

Rich was a jolly man, nursing what will surely become a bruise on the left side of his chest. Encouraged by the people around him, he removed the sunglasses from his ball cap mid-interview and smiled. The front of his hat read “TRUMP.” He proceeded to say, “I want the PGA [Tour] and the LIV tournament to get along and get together.”

Rich wasn’t speaking for for LIV Golf, as he was quickly ushered off the broadcast, nor the PGA Tour, which was off this week before a new season begins later this month. But he did seem to represent the fans at the Boston event. They were as loud and discordant as any LIV event we’ve seen thus far. That’s LIV’s motto: Golf, but Louder. Do you like it? That’s up to you.

The three-man playoff lasted only a few more shots, which was probably best for all. Niemann failed to give himself a birdie chance, and though Lahiri had a 3-foot birdie attempt waiting for him, he didn’t even get the chance to try it. Johnson took that away when he rammed in a 40-foot bomb for eagle. It smashed into the back of the cup, popped up and then dropped into the jar. Playoff over. The fans and the announcers went wild. It doesn’t matter what tour that happens on — most everyone is going to love it.

Lahiri couldn’t be angry. Nor could Niemann. They both smiled and dapped up DJ. They were both also set to make more money than they ever have before.

To this point, LIV Golf finishes have exclusively been about that one thing: cash. Charl Schwartzel made a quiet bogey in London to finish a wire-to-wire victory in the inaugural event. The focus afterward largely was on his winnings. Branden Grace won by two in Portland, and it never really felt that close. Henrik Stenson won the New Jersey iteration of LIV Golf by two as well. There seemingly were no nervy shots along the way, only Stenson preparing a jab for the cameras about having his Ryder Cup captaincy taken from him. Through three events, the talk was mostly about the money, little about the shots, even less about the courses and holes the winning was happening on. That flipped, if only slightly, Sunday night in Massachusetts.

Open champion Cameron Smith says it will be “unfair” if LIV Golf players are not allowed to play in majors.

The Australian world number two switched from the PGA Tour to Saudi-backed LIV on Tuesday.

LIV players were allowed to compete at the US Open in June and July’s Open Championship but there is no guarantee they will play in majors going forward.

“To the fans of major championship golf, it may be a little bit unfair on them,” Smith said.

The 29-year-old added: “I think majors is about having the best guys in the best field on the best golf courses. Hopefully we can sort that out.”

Players need to get ranking points in order to participate at majors which LIV golfers are not receiving.

Smith, who will make his LIV debut on Friday at the LIV Golf Invitational Boston, said: “To have 48 of the best guys around the world playing and not to get world ranking points, I think is perhaps a little bit unfair.”

Smith’s compatriot Marc Leishman says the majors could be without top players such as Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Sergio Garcia – all of whom play for LIV.

“As far as the majors and all that go, I think it could potentially hurt them having some guys potentially miss out because they are not offered world ranking points here,” Leishman said.

“As a golf fan that’s hard for the top tournaments, but hopefully it sorts itself out.”

Meanwhile, two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson is “praying” he can still play at the first major of 2023 in April after making the move to LIV.

“It’s a weird situation, being a Masters champion,” Watson said. “Augusta, right now, we can play in it, and I’m hoping, and praying, that they make the right decisions and past champions [can play].

“If they tell me that I can’t go, being a past champion, then I don’t want to be there anyway because that’s just the wrong way to look at it.”

Nine-time major winner Gary Player has said LIV players should not expect to play in majors after leaving the PGA Tour or DP World Tour to take part in the lucrative series.

“Look, I don’t blame players for going on the LIV Tour,” the 86-year-old told BBC 5 Live.

“If you are going to join the LIV Tour, don’t make a big fuss about it! Everybody’s making such a big fuss! Let them go! If they want to go, they’re going. But the PGA Tour is still the tour of the world. This is where you can realise and fulfil your dreams, and be a champion.

“But when they go, they’ve declared war on the PGA Tour. They must not expect to play Ryder Cup, and Presidents Cup, play in the majors and all those things. You can’t have your cake and eat it. That’s the bed you’ve chosen, that’s the bed you’ve got to lie in.”

LIV Golf has harpooned its biggest whales yet in its quest to become a true world tour

Following weeks of rumors, Cameron Smith has officially joined LIV Golf, headlining a group of six players who have been added to the rival upstart. Smith, the Champion Golfer of the Year and winner of the Players Championship — the PGA Tour’s flagship event — is LIV Golf’s biggest acquisition to date as the 29-year-old is just now entering the prime of his playing career.

The world No. 2 is not alone in his move from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf. Smith is accompanied by Cameron Tringale, Harold Varner III, Marc Leishman, Anirban Lahiri and, most notably, his former Presidents Cup teammate Joaquin Niemann. The young Chilean was a mainstay on leaderboards throughout the 2021-22 season on the PGA Tour and captured the greatest title of his career at the Genesis Invitational hosted by Tiger Woods in February.

The 23-year-old Niemann was reportedly firmly on the fence leading up to this decision. He was a participant in the PGA Tour players-only meeting the week of the BMW Championship and played practice rounds with the likes of Rory McIlroy ahead of the Tour Championship, where the two discussed his future. The world No. 19 traveled to the LIV Boston event without a contract in hand and was ultimately swayed to make the jump from the PGA Tour.

Originally thought to be seven new faces, presumed PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Cameron Young was rumored to round out the newcomers for the LIV Boston event. With sweeping changes made to the PGA Tour’s schedule and compensation, in addition to future participation in team events and majors championships being in question, the 25-year-old decided to stay put, however.

“Frankly, throughout the whole process with them I was very interested,” said Young. “I think they have a bunch of good ideas. I think they’re doing some cool stuff, and with some of those changes coming, that’s what really helped me decide to stay and pursue those goals that I have for myself, like making the Presidents Cup team or Ryder Cup team and winning a major, when all of that is just uncertain if you go.”

Leishman, Lahiri and Tringale all fit the initial mold of LIV’s target player: those who have enjoyed moderately successful playing careers, but may be considered by some to be over the hill. While the departure of those three will not impact the PGA Tour, Smith, Niemann and Varner could each be viewed as a substantial loss.

Word of Smith’s interest in LIV Golf first surfaced at the press conference following his impressive victory at the 150th Open at St. Andrews. Not denying any possible link at the time, Smith was then peppered with questions at the St. Jude Championship after Cameron Percy told an Australian radio station that Smith was as good as gone.

“I have no comment to that,” Smith stated when asked if he planned to join LIV Golf. “Like I said, I’m here to play the FedEx Cup Playoffs. That’s been my focus the last week and a half, that’s what I’m here to do, I’m here to win the FedEx Cup Playoffs. And like I said, it will come from me, it won’t come from Cameron Percy.”

Smith, Niemann and Varner are currently under the age of 33 with Varner being the eldest. The East Carolina product is among fan favorites on a weekly basis and, equally as important, well-respected among his peers on the PGA Tour. While Varner doesn’t have a Tour victory, he has been close on a number of occasions and was victorious in dramatic fashion at the Saudi International in February.

Young in age but not necessarily experience, Niemann had been on the PGA Tour for five seasons, making his professional debut in the spring of 2018. Putting Chilean golf on the map, he becomes yet another international player jostled away from the PGA Tour.

With the Presidents Cup looming, International Team captain Trevor Immelman has been thrusted into an unenviable position. Losing two of his eight automatic qualifiers and a stable of his fellow countrymen to LIV, his task to defeat a heavily favored United States side becomes all the more difficult.

In the grand scheme of it all, the lack of allegiance from international players to the PGA Tour may be LIV Golf’s greatest calling card — in addition to the lucrative contracts — as it embarks on becoming a world tour. Material changes have been made to the PGA Tour schedule and tournaments in foreign countries may be — or at least should be — on the table for the future. However, with zero visits to South America, Africa or Australia since the 2001 WGC Match Play, it is conceivable to suggest those from outside the United States simply do not view the tour in the same light as their former counterparts.

Lahore Garrison Greens Team achieved victory in the PGA Inter-Club Golf Championship by aggregating a team score of 2,342 and were declared the Punjab Province Club Champions for 2022.

The event was organized by Punjab Golf Association (PGA) that was concluded here at the Lahore Gymkhana Golf Course on Sunday. The runners-up were Defence Raya with a team score of 2,403 and lost to Lahore Garrison by a margin of 61 strokes. Flow of competitive play in the two rounds of this championship was aligned by the Lahore Garrison Team players in a way that they appeared as the dominant ones in this encounter of glory and achievement.

Aggregate wise, the Lahore Garrison amateurs, Damil Ataullah, Ahmed Sultan Kayani, Nouman Ilyas and Capt Zainurrehman, managed a team score of 461, which was similar to the score achieved by Gymkhana amateurs while Defence Raya had a score of 485 and Rawalpindi had 504. As for the contribution by senior amateurs, Col Ikram, Tariq Mehmood, Col M Shafi and Col Raja Asif Mehdi of Lahore Garrison, their aggregate score was 488 while Rawalpindi seniors aggregated 493, Gymkhana seniors aggregated 518 and Raya compiled 541.

As for ladies, the team members of Lahore Garrison, Suneya Osama, Zahida Durrani and Ghazala Yasmin, aggregated 322 as against 368 by Defence Raya, 407 by Gymkhana and 407 also by Rawalpindi. In this way, the efforts of the Lahore Garrison amateurs, senior amateurs and ladies lent a huge advantage to their quest for honors by providing huge strokes advantage over the other competing teams. At the conclusion of PGA Inter Club Golf Competition, former Punjab Golf Association (PGA) Secretary Brig (R) Shahid Wahab Rao handed over the champion team trophy to Garrison Golf Team and their captain Col (R) Asif Mehdi plus a winner’s cheque of Rs 500,000 and gold medals to team members. The grand ceremony was attended by Dr Asma Shami, Minaa Zainab, Executive Committee of PGA, Muhammed Zakir of PGA and participating players.

McIlroy carded a four-under 66 to end the week on 21 under and a shot clear of Sungjae Im and Scheffler, who threw away a six-shot advantage after a final-round 73; FedExCup victory earns McIlroy $18m (£15.3m) and follows successes in 2016 and 2019

Rory McIlroy became the first three-time winner in FedExCup history after coming through a final-round tussle with world No 1 Scottie Scheffler to claim a dramatic victory at the Tour Championship.

McIlroy came into the PGA Tour’s season finale six strokes back and fell further behind with a triple-bogey on his opening hole on Thursday, although battled back to follow successive 67s with a third-round 63 to stay within six shots of Scheffler.

Scheffler’s convincing advantage evaporated after three bogeys in his opening six holes, as McIlroy pulled level with four birdies in a five-hole stretch, although the Masters champion retained at least a share of the lead until McIlroy edged ahead with three holes remaining.

The four-time major winner then closed out a four-under 66 to end the week on 21 under at East Lake Golf Club and a shot clear of both Sungjae Im and Scheffler, who stuttered to a three-over 73, with Xander Schauffele three strokes back in fourth spot.

Scheffler resumed his third round one ahead but birdied four of his final six holes to open a six-shot advantage, while McIlroy returned early on Sunday morning to birdie the final two holes to ensure a final-round pairing with the world No 1.

Both players bogeyed the par-four first, with Scheffler three-putting from long-range to see his lead cut to five, while McIlroy responded with a birdie at the third and Im – playing in the group ahead – posting back-to-back birdies to halve Scheffler’s pre-round advantage.

Scheffler followed a bogey at the fourth by failing to get up and down from the sand to save par at the sixth, as McIlroy birdied both holes and added another from 17 feet at the seventh to lift him temporarily into a share of the lead.

A close-range birdie at the eighth was enough for Scheffler to edge back ahead until McIlroy rolled in from eight feet at the 12th to get to 20 under, with Im a shot off the pace after cancelling out a bogey at the eighth by picking up a shot at the par-three next and birdieing the 12th.

Scheffler converted from 12 feet to save par at the 12th and scrambled from the rough to avoid a bogey at the next, as McIlroy bounced back from a careless bogey at the 14th to drain a 30-footer at the next to leave the pair locked together with three to play.

McIlroy hit the pin with a chip from the back of the 16th green and poured in from eight feet to save par, which was enough for the solo lead when Scheffler did not get up and down from the sand, while Im recovered from a double-bogey at the 14th to birdie the 15th and 17th to get within one.

Scheffler missed a 10-foot birdie chance at the 17th and was unable to take advantage of the par-five last, allowing McIlroy to secure a third FedExCup title and claim the $18m (£15.3m) first prize with a tap-in par.

“To be the first to do anything in the game that you love so much, it’s an incredibly proud moment,” McIlroy said. “I got a little lucky with Scottie (Scheffler) not playing his best golf today, and I took advantage of that with my good play. I went up against the best player in the world today and I took him down, and that’s got to mean something.”

Im matched McIlroy’s 66 to share second with Scheffler, while Schauffele, who began the day one off the lead, had to settle for fourth after completing a third-round 70 then posting a one-under 69 in the final round.

Max Homa and Justin Thomas shared fifth spot on 17 under ahead of Sepp Straka and last year’s FedExCup champion Patrick Cantlay, with Tony Finau and Tom Hoge rounding off the top 10 and US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick in a share of 11th.

A new technology-focused golf league led by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and former Golf Channel president Mike McCarley was unveiled Wednesday at East Lake.

McIlroy and McCarley, who have partnered with Woods to form TMRW Sports, outlined the tech-infused startup that will feature six three-man teams of PGA Tour players competing in made-for-television events that will combine virtual technology and a green complex at a custom-built venue.

The TGL events, which will include 15 regular-season matches and a postseason, consisting of the league’s top four teams, is scheduled to begin in January 2024 and will largely air on Monday nights. Each team will play each other twice during the regular season.

“We’ve been working on this for two years,” McIlroy said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for PGA Tour players to show a different side of themselves, primetime on Monday night. I think it’s great for brand exposure to try to engage a different audience.”

The location of the venue has not been announced, but the playing area will be about three-quarters the size of a football field and feature an adjustable green complex that can be configured based on a specific hole. The stage area will also include an oversized launch monitor for full shots along with displays for different kinds of data, like ShotLink and shot tracking.

The events are scheduled to “compliment” the Tour schedule and officials envision playing various Tour courses depending on where the circuit is that week.

The venue will have stadium seating for fans, and McCarley said the process to find a broadcast partner is underway.

Smith is rumored to have already signed a $100 million deal with LIV Golf

LIV Golf is expecting to announce another round of new members this weekend and top-ranked golfer Cameron Smith is expected to be on that list, according to a report.

The 2022 British Open champion has been rumored for weeks to be the latest — and arguably the most significant — golfer to join the rival Saudi-backed circuit and, following the completion of the FedEx Cup playoffs, LIV Golf is expected to announce the additions of Smith and six other players, The Telegraph reported.

According to the outlet, all seven are believed to have competed at the St. Jude Championship and are expected to compete at the next LIV Golf Invitational in Boston next month.

Before the start of the FedEx Cup playoffs, Smith declined to comment on rumors that he had already inked a deal with LIV Golf, telling media at a press conference that his top priority is to “win the FedEx Cup playoffs.”

“My goal here is to win the FedEx Cup playoffs. That’s all I’m here for. If there’s something I need to say regarding the PGA Tour or LIV, it will come from Cameron Smith, not Cameron Percy,” he said after the Australian golfer revealed in an interview that Smith was “gone.”

“I’m a man of my word and whenever you guys need to know anything, it will be said by me.”

An earlier report from The Telegraph stated that Smith has already signed a $100 million deal.

Speculation continued last week when Smith announced he was withdrawing from the BMW Championship over “hip discomfort.”

“[Smith] has been dealing with some on and off hip discomfort for several months and thought it would be best to rest this week in his pursuit of the FedEx Cup,” his agent said in a statement.

Smith, with the No. 2 ranking, would be the highest-ranked player to join LIV Golf.

-14 P Cantlay (US); -13 S Stallings (US); -11 X Schauffele (US), S Scheffler (US); -10 KH Lee (Kor), C Conners (Can), A Scott (Aus).

American Patrick Cantlay became the first player to successfully defend a tournament in the FedEx Cup post-season by retaining the BMW Championship.

A final-round 69 at Wilmington secured a one-shot victory for the world number four over compatriot Scott Stallings.

He birdied 17 and although he found sand off the 18th tee, he scrambled to make a tap-in par for a 14-under total

“I hit a lot of solid shots then I got a couple of breaks,” said Cantlay, who began the back nine two off the lead.

“I played a lot of great golf this week and I’m happy to come out of here with the win.”

Cantlay’s triumph means he will start next week’s season-ending Tour Championship in second place in the FedEx Cup standings.

In the unique staggered-start tournament – which is decided by each players’ FedEx performances so far – Cantlay will begin on eight under, two shots behind over leader Scottie Scheffler.

Scheffler finished in a tie for third in Wilmington, Delaware, with Olympic champion Xander Schauffele on 11 under.

Rory McIlroy will tee off in Atlanta on four under after a closing 69 which included birdies on his last three holes to give the four-time major winner a share of eighth.

However, McIlroy’s Ryder Cup team-mate Shane Lowry missed out on a spot in the 30-man field at East Lake by a single place despite a final round of 68.

The former Open champion looked set to qualify after his fifth birdie of the day on the 14th, but the Irishman three-putted the 17th for a costly bogey.