via Reuters
Golf – The 2020 Ryder Cup – Whistling Straits, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, U.S. – September 25, 2021 Team USA fans during the Foursomes REUTERS/Mike Segar
via Reuters
Golf – The 2020 Ryder Cup – Whistling Straits, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, U.S. – September 25, 2021 Team USA fans during the Foursomes REUTERS/Mike Segar
From getting called “skewed” by Dustin Johnson to becoming a “laughable” affair for Jon Rahm, the Official World Golf Ranking has been under scrutiny for quite some time now. Neither the golf fans nor the pros seem to understand the allocation of points for limited and non-limited field events.
After updating its system in the final days of December 2023, the OWGR now appears to be more complicated. The recent comparison between the 2024 Sony Open and Sentry’s OWGR points distribution represents the difficulties faced by the general public in understanding the points distribution. Not only this, but it has also created havoc in the golf fraternity.
The OWGR points disparity gets brutally criticized
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A golf enthusiast recently shared the allocated points for the Sony Open (48.43712) and The Sentry (60.0048). The no-cut event had a field rating of 283.24703 while the full-field event had a rating of 281.59170. The difference is only 0.65533, but the allocated points have a difference of 11.56768. The tweet shared on X called the new “point curve” of OWGR a total “BS,” as the disparity in points is huge.
In December 2023, the Official World Golf Ranking introduced two new rules to enhance the competition and justly allot points to the different kinds of fields. According to OWGR, for the 2024 season, a player who wins twice in 52 weeks will acquire 60% bonus points, while a three-time winner at the same time will get 70%.
Secondly, in a no-cut field event, the bottom 15% of golfers will not get any points, and the winner’s percentage has been increased from 17–18% to 21% for a field of 80 players or less. A full-field event may get fewer points awarded than a limited-field or no-cut event. The comparison between the Sony Open and the Sentry proves that.
I'm going to call BS on the OWGR's new 'Points Curve', used for limited field events in 2024.
These 2 events have almost identical field ratings, yet the small field winner gets 60.0048 OWGR points, while the full field winner gets 48.43172 points. pic.twitter.com/ZlSPyBS7nr— John Conrad (@jerichsen66) January 11, 2024
Subsequently, after the tweet reached the golf audience, they too had a fair share of reactions to the confusing points-distributing system of OWGR. On one hand, some fans were disappointed but not surprised, whereas others were truly confused by the allocation.
Netizens react to differential point distributions for similar fields
This was not the first time that the allocated points were being compared between events. Once, it was done between the DP World Tour Championship and the RSM Classic, where the latter had more points and field ratings. Similarly, a comparison between two different formats of PGA Tour events has sparked doubt over OWGR’s validity.
Read More: 2024 Sony Open: How to Watch, TV Schedule, Live Stream, and More
After seeing many cracks in the OWGR’s system, this fan said the system would soon perish. Hinting at the futuristic merger between the three major golf leagues of the world, they said that the OWGR points will not matter once that has been set up.
You would know. I think the OWGR has run its course. Once an Elite Tour is set up, with feeder tours, all that will matter is whether or not you have garnered enough Elite points to not get regulated. An Elite/Premier Tour would have no more than 80 players, all make the majors.
— Randal Dewey (@DeweyRanda17445) January 12, 2024
While one put forth a question and asked, wasn’t the OWGR system before the update more bizarre? To which the post’s owners replied that the system always contradicted the point curve.
Yep! That was the principle that sold the new OWGR system change. The old points curve always contradicted it. This new change, even more so…
— John Conrad (@jerichsen66) January 12, 2024
This user commented how he doesn’t trust the OWGR anymore and thinks that the OWGR might not be a fair system at all.
John, TBH I'm surprised that you're surprised that the OWGR might not be a fair system across tours or even within a tour, and you appear to know how the OWGR works as well as anyone! But I'm not surprised & it's such a joke I no longer even use OWGR as a point of reference.
— Luke Hartcher (@LukeHartcher) January 12, 2024
Another called the OWGR a “closed system” and pointed out that everyone is aware of it but no one dares to speak.
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It’s a closed system. Everyone knows it but they can’t say it.
— Andrew McCauley (@mccauley_andrew) January 12, 2024
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The OWGR offers world ranking points to 24 or more leagues except LIV Golf. Over the years, it has garnered much criticism for the allotment system. As the golf world changes, the system might also change, but until then, the golf world will have to wait.
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