Should LIV Golf members earn World Ranking Points? Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick have their say

LIV Golf, which launched in June and has so far staged five events, applied for recognition in the World Golf Rankings in July and is still under review; rankings play a key role in deciding entry into golf’s four majors

Rory McIlroy believes LIV Golf needs to make changes to have a chance of gaining Official World Golf Ranking approved status.

The Saudi-backed breakaway circuit was launched earlier this year, with former world No. 1 Dustin Johnson and reigning Open champion Cameron Smith among its first recruits, although the tour n currently offers no world ranking points to players.

The 48 players who participated in LIV Golf’s event outside of Chicago earlier this month sent a joint letter to OWGR President Peter Dawson urging him to award ranking points to competitors, while the application for world ranking status remains under consideration.

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Rory McIlroy returns to St Andrews ahead of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

“If they meet the criteria, they get world ranking points,” McIlroy said. Sky Sports News ahead of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. “I see no reason why they shouldn’t, as long as they meet the defined criteria.

“The only thing that’s been frustrating from the start is that they don’t want to play by the rules that have been in place for so long. It can’t be one set of rules for a certain number of people and then a certain number of people. set of rules for everyone – everyone has to follow the same rules here.

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Shane Lowry is hoping his win at Wentworth can help him end the season well and believes the Presidents Cup has shown Team USA can be up against next year’s Ryder Cup.

“If they’re willing to play by the rules, they should get 100 per cent world ranking points, but the way everything is going right now and the way their tour is organised, I just think it makes it very difficult for them to make that argument.”

According to the letter sent by the players, each passing week without the inclusion of LIV Golf athletes “undermines the historic value” of the world rankings, although US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick insists that it takes patience until a decision is made.

“I understand why they think they deserve points because of the players they have, and I don’t disagree with that, but if you look at all the other tours from previous years that have gone through the official process, it takes a year or two,” Fitzpatrick said. Sky Sports News.

“You just have to wait two years – that’s what I’ve been told is the process and that’s what it is. I read somewhere that they should backdate the points to when they have had the first event, which is just ridiculous.

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Matt Fitzpatrick thinks LIV golfers should wait two years to receive world ranking points and wonders if they might start to regret changing tours.

“You knew what you were signing up for before you left and if you had done your homework you know the process takes a year or two so you probably had to accept it and those are just the rules of the game.

“When you see number signs, it kind of clouds your thinking a little bit. I think that’s one of those things that with the decision that you made, you had to sit down and take all the aspects into consideration.

“World ranking points were probably on the list but obviously there probably wasn’t a real in-depth analysis of the chances of getting them. They have to meet a lot of criteria that they don’t currently meet and it’s like it is unfortunately.”

Watch the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins Thursday from noon on Sky Sports Golf.