LIV golfer moves into world's top 50 despite tour not earning ranking points

28 February 2023 , 08:23

374     0

LIV Golf rebel Harold Varner III won the PIF Saudi International last year and now sits inside the world's top 50 (Image: Getty Images)

A LIV Golf rebel has moved into the world's top 50 despite missing out on ranking points at the series' opening event in Mexico last weekend.

American star Harold Varner III saw his ranking rise from No.51 to 49 despite failing to accumulate any points for his joint 27th place finish at the rebel series opener in Mayakoba. Despite finishing in the bottom-half of the 48-player restricted field Varner III was rewarded for his efforts with £131,230 individual prize money for the opening round.

The expanded 14-tournament series recruited some of the biggest names in golf during their inaugural year in 2022.

The likes of Cameron Smith and Dustin Johnson risked their world rankings dropping by joining the controversial concept, but were heavily compensated by the LIV Golf millions in signing on and prize money.

Last year's Open champion Smith ended the year as world No.3 but has already dropped two places this season to No.5. Meanwhile, two-time major winner and former world No.1 Johnson is now ranked 54th in the world. Meanwhile, former Masters winner Patrick Reed has sunk to 63rd in the system, which serves as qualifying criteria for major tournaments.

Bubba Watson shares details of horror knee injury ahead of LIV Golf debut

Former Masters winner Patrick Reed is now ranked 63rd in the world (Getty Images)

Should LIV Golf events have world ranking points? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section

The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) system is run over rolling periods with points holding their full value for 13 weeks after being awarded. Ranking points are then reduced in equal decrements for another 91 weeks. That meant despite Varner III not playing in a ranking tournament this weekend his position rose.

Charles Howell III won the opening round of this season's LIV Golf series walking away with a huge £3.32million and his weekend was made even better rising two places in the rankings to No.49.

Chilean star Mito Pereira also climbed into the world's top 50 this weekend. However, with LIV Golf players suspended from playing in PGA Tou r events they all face slipping down the rankings in the next few months.

Charles Howell III was individual winner at the opening LIV Golf event of 2023 in Mexico (Getty Images)

Rebels Richard Bland and Sebastian Munoz have dropped outside the world's top 100 putting in doubt their qualification for the PGA Championship in May.

Last year LIV Golf stars wrote a letter to the OWGR asking for past and future events in the controversial series to be given points in order to preserve the "integrity" of the system.

However, the OWGR are yet to make a decision on the Saudi-backed series' application and in the meantime the rankings of rebels will continue to tumble over time.

Benjamin Goddard