LIV Golf is expecting its players to earn world ranking points in its sixth event in Thailand this week according to the Telegraph, which reports that a “strategic alliance” was brokered between the Greg Norman-fronted venture and MENA Tour.
The MENA Tour, based in Dubai, has been an established member of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) since 2016 and, per its name, stages events in the Middle East and North Africa. The reported deal will see the Tour give access to its ranking points – something LIV Golf has yet to achieve since its inauguration.
The breakaway circuit has reportedly sought confirmation from OWGR chiefs that ranking points will be available for the Thailand event this week, with an official announcement expected imminently. Brooks Koepka’s wife however, Jena Sims, seemingly broke the news on her Instagram story.
Did Jena Sims just break this news pic.twitter.com/0X2mTvKJaAOctober 5, 2022
The brokered deal is not expected to interfere with the planned expansion for 2023, according to the report, where the LIV Golf Series will rebrand to a fully-fledged League with 48 players and 12 established team franchises competing in an inflated 14-tournament schedule and an enormous $405m total prize purse – a huge increase on the $225m on offer for this year’s eight-tournament Series.
According to the Telegraph, the deal will result in LIV Golf members having access to compete on the MENA Tour, which will comprise of around 15 events each year. The purses however, are not expected to come close to the financial riches offered on the Saudi-backed circuit.
As the golfing world awaits an official announcement, LIV Golf could point to its arrangement with the MENA Tour and the Asian Tour’s International Series as an expanded opportunity for players and another pathway to the LIV Golf League rather than a sole means to establish world ranking points.
The controversial breakaway circuit has been successful is luring some of the biggest names in golf away from the established eco-system, perhaps none more so than recently-crowned Open…
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