Scottie Scheffler weighs in on the LIV Golf world ranking debate

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler is also not keen on a world tour. For now…

Not only is Scottie Scheffler the best player in the world, but he has also become something of a voice of reason in the men’s game. 

Given his status, Scheffler is regularly grilled on the biggest talking points, and one of them ahead of the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush is the news that LIV Golf has reapplied to the OWGR for world ranking points.

Some of the biggest names on the PGA Tour defected to the breakaway circuit, which is still not recognized by the OWGR, meaning they have plummeted down the rankings. 

The Saudi-backed tour, led by Greg Norman at the time, saw its original application rejected in October 2023 before the bid was later abandoned altogether. 

New OWGR chairman Trevor Immelman, when confirming that LIV had submitted a fresh bid at the end of June, said it would be “reviewed in accordance with OWGR’s criteria to ensure fairness, integrity and consistency.”

Asked if LIV Golf’s inclusion in the OWGR would help discern who the best players in the world are, Scheffler said: “I think having the ability to rank all the golfers in the world is really important.

“When you have guys always playing a different schedule, it can be very hard to rank player versus player. 

“That was always difficult for us in amateur golf because you have so many different tournaments and guys aren’t playing against each other every week. It’s really hard to rank a guy that plays junior golf on the west coast versus a guy that plays junior golf on the east coast. 

“They may only play together a couple times a year. It can be very difficult to rank who is the best player when it’s like that.

“In terms of the world ranking points, I think the more often we can get the best players in the world playing together would be better, and that would only be better for the rankings as well.”

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Scheffler was also asked why he doesn’t travel to play in events around the world, plying his trade predominantly in the United States.

“I think the greatest competition we have right now in the game of golf is the PGA Tour and playing in the States,” Scheffler added. “I’m playing where the best competition is. Week in and week out, I believe that’s the PGA Tour. For me to play against the best players in the world, that’s where all of them are.

“Would it be nice to play an international schedule? Yeah, I’d love to be able to travel the world and play golf. There’s a time and a place for that, and right now, with the way my life is, it’s not really the time or the place. 

“I’m starting a young family, and travelling across the world to play golf would be great, but at the end of the day, that’s not my priority nor my responsibility. My responsibility is to my family first, and that’s where my priorities lie.”