The winner of the 150th edition of The Open, Cameron Smith, took the start of his first tournament of the season at Saudi International last Thursday but did not make the cut and his fall in the world rankings is inevitable as it should be. doubt it since his escape on the dissident LIV Golf circuit.
Thinking of scoring world points at Saudi Internation on the Asian Tour, the current world No. 4 Cam Smith has not seized one of the rare opportunities that will be given to him this year.
Number 2 last year and very close to becoming number 1 before deciding to leave the PGA Tour , just after the FedEx Cup play-offs , the fall of the Australian in the hierarchy is scheduled.
Jon Rahm also criticized the OWGR
Other leading players, who left before him for LIV Golf , have already taken a dizzying dive and it’s not going to get any better.
Indeed, the new system for calculating the world ranking , also highly criticized by Jon Rahm , who has remained faithful to the PGA Tour, still does not include the circuit of exhibition tournaments, the calendar of which was unveiled a few days ago.
“I try not to take it badly, because as soon as I play a tournament it’s to win it, whether there are points to take or not, against six or eight guys who will have the same objective. and with whom we will have to fight , ”said Cameron Smith before the departure of Saudi International.
“But it hurts, that’s for sure. I was very close to becoming number 1, I wanted to tick that box, but the more it goes the more I feel that this classification is becoming obsolete , ”added the winner of The Open last July in St. Andrews.
The Majors as a lifeline
In addition to the Asian Tour tournaments and until further notice those of the DP World Tour , LIV players will mainly have to bet on the Major events to maintain a world ranking in relation to their level of play.
Indeed the Masters and The Open have announced that they do not want to modify their selection criteria.
source: golfplanete