More Than Jon Rahm and Distressed Fans, the 2024 Sentry Players Will Suffocate With the Awry OWGR ‘No Cut Event’ Decision

The first event on the 2024 schedule for the PGA Tour, The Sentry, will hit the golfing world soon. But, the defection of the defending champion, Jon Rahm, and his subsequent suspension has caused a lot of stirrups in the community. Besides, the increased field of the tournament following the same has also led to many fans of the sport expressing their displeasure. However, it seems that for the golfers in the competition, those are the least of their worries; all thanks to OWGR.

The ranking body went ahead to announce certain changes to its system that would be followed from the start of 2024. Moreover, coupling the updates with an event like The Sentry, which boasts a no-cut format over the weekend, has indubitably led to many players finding themselves in a muddy situation of sorts!

The OWGR update for 2024

As per a recent release by the Official World Golf Rankings, the tournaments with a field of 80 or less will witness a new kind of points distribution. According to new decisions, a greater share of the points (21%) would be awarded to the top finishers, as opposed to the earlier 17-18% that was followed by the same.

The OWGR did so citing reasons for the existing standard distribution curve’s inaccurate reflection of performances in these events. However, by doing so, as a result, the signature events of the PGA Tour, including the upcoming tournament that boasts a field of 59 players, would witness many of its athletes at the bottom rung in a difficult situation, earning meager points no less.

The Signature effect, courtesy of OWGR

If you think the problem ends there for the golfers, you’re sorely wrong! For a majority of the eight signature events, including The Sentry which boasts no cut over the weekend, around 15% of the professionals who finish at the bottom of the leaderboard would not be getting any points, as opposed to the numbers that would be awarded to the top performer, which is “roughly around 59.” Consequently, this does spell bad for many including the new faces that are set to appear for 2024’s first PGA Tour event.

Meanwhile, although it is a bane for many of the pros who would find themselves at the lower section of the scoreboard, it is but heavenly news for the to-be-crowned champion. The victor of the event would be awarded close to 60 points for emerging triumphant at the same. But even so, world No.1 Scottie Scheffler can comparably rest easy this time since the likes of Rory McIlroy and Rahm, who occupy the 2nd and 3rd spot on the OWGR respectively, are not part of the playing field.

ALSO READ – Tiger Woods Gets a Surprise Shoutout as LIV Golf Pro Finally Discloses the Secret to His $36,000,000 Success in 2023

However, if Scheffler is unable to finish big at the upcoming low-field events, the lead he has on the board would take a hit owing to the new points distribution system. This, coupled with the second update by the OWGR which provides more bonuses to those who win multiple times over the year, spells trouble for the top players in the world. That being the case, they would inevitably suffer due to the new changes brought in by the ranking body.

Well, the changes have come as a surprise no less for the field of golfers. And, it’d be even more so for those who were part of the previous year’s field and experienced the ranking body awarding points even for shooting high scores despite ending on a bad note.

OWGR and the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions

A total of 39 golfers took part in the previous edition of the PGAT’s first calendar event in which Rahm emerged victorious, back when it was called the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Meanwhile, many of the athletes including the likes of Chad Ramey, Adam Svensson, Ryan Brehm, Chez Reavie, and Keegan Bradley, among others who finished at the bottom were awarded points based on their finishing.

The 2023 edition saw a lot of the professionals at the bottom rung such as Ramey (from No.210 to No.204), Brehm (from No.417 to No.401), and others walking away with a better ranking than they started the tournament with. However, only Xander Schauffele was the exception, but that was because of his withdrawal from the same after the first day, resulting in him getting no numbers. But now, with the new changes in the OWGR, more than half a dozen of the players in the field for The Sentry can only face disappointment if they finish last at the same.

Unfortunately so, even if every player dishes out their top performance, there would always be someone at the last place in an event. Nevertheless, despite everything, the athletes will have to keep their eyes going forward since similar would be the case as well for the rest of the low-field signature tournaments including the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, RBC Heritage, Wells Fargo Championship, and Travelers Championship. A truly difficult situation for many golfers, it seems!

Watch This Story |  ‘Rarely Got to Spend’: Jon Rahm Evokes His Emotional Side While Justifying His LIV Golf Move