Dustin Johnson has experienced a significant setback in his golf career as a result of his association with LIV Golf. Despite consistently holding a prominent position in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR), Johnson has now dropped out of the top 150 players following LIV Golf’s unsuccessful attempt to gain OWGR status. This marks the first time since 2008 that the American golfer finds himself outside the top 150, currently occupying the 152nd spot.
Several LIV Golf stars, including Johnson, are feeling the repercussions of the league’s lack of recognition in the rankings. The rejection of LIV Golf’s latest OWGR application in October has led to a situation where players associated with the breakaway league, including Johnson, are unable to accumulate world ranking points. As a result, Johnson’s chances of climbing the rankings now hinge solely on his performance at major tournaments in the coming year.
In 2023, Johnson’s only appearances acknowledged by the OWGR were at the four major events. His performances included a tie for 48th at the Masters, a tie for 55th at the PGA Championship, and an impressive top-10 finish at the U.S. Open in Los Angeles. However, his last opportunity of the season at the Open Championship ended disappointingly with Johnson missing the 36-hole cut. Subsequently, all of Johnson’s golfing activities have taken place on the breakaway circuit, where he cannot earn world ranking points.
LIV Golf has strongly criticized the OWGR’s decision, asserting that the ranking system no longer fulfills its primary objective of fairly representing the best players worldwide. According to LIV, the current ranking system excludes certain players and compromises the accuracy of recognizing the world’s top player performances. Johnson himself has expressed skepticism about the legitimacy of the rankings in the absence of the breakaway league’s inclusion.
In response to the OWGR rejection, LIV Golf aims to establish an independent and objective ranking system to ensure fans, broadcasters, and sponsors have confidence in a fair assessment of the best golf in the world. Johnson, echoing the sentiment, questions the credibility of the world ranking system when excluding talented players associated with the breakaway league, emphasizing the impact on those players who are deprived of earning valuable ranking points.
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