Since his impressive victory at the Masters in 2018, Patrick Reed’s chances of participating in other major tournaments will soon diminish. Reed’s ranking has plummeted since joining the LIV Golf Invitational Series, and he is now outside the top 50 in the world. As a result, he will only have the opportunity to compete in one major tournament this year, namely the Masters. The LIV Golf series does not award Official World Golf Ranking points, which has contributed to Reed’s decline.
Reed’s triumph at the 2018 Masters not only secured his place in the tournament but also granted him a lifelong exemption to compete in the championship. This remarkable achievement allowed him to participate in all four major golf championships for over four years. The Open Championship, U.S. Open, and PGA Championship all welcomed him due to his breakthrough victory at Augusta. However, Reed’s decision to join LIV Golf has adversely affected his rankings, currently placing him at 99th in the world.
Consequently, Reed now faces the challenge of either replicating his past success and winning the Masters multiple times this year or performing exceptionally well to break into the top 50 and qualify for other important tournaments.
In October 2023, LIV Golf faced a setback when their request for OWGR points was denied. Peter Dawson, the chairman of the OWGR board of directors, explained in an interview with the Associated Press the difficulties the organization encountered in dealing with a locked field of 48 players. Dawson clarified that the decision to exclude certain players from the rankings was purely technical and not influenced by politics. Despite the controversy, the undeniable talent possessed by LIV players cannot be denied. However, the unique format in which they compete makes it challenging to rank them fairly against players from other tours.
The rejection of LIV’s bid for OWGR points last October was primarily due to the league’s distinctive format and promotion system. Some LIV golfers, including Bryson DeChambeau, are advocating for a special exemption category in major tournaments to level the playing field. DeChambeau firmly believes that including such an exemption category would provide more LIV members with the opportunity to compete.
Expressing his disappointment, DeChambeau stated at the end of last year, “It’s disheartening that they are currently unwilling to consider it. We are eager to explore alternative avenues for our exceptionally talented players to participate in the major championship circuit, as I firmly believe that we have some of the best players globally.”
According to the Source firstsportz.com