Bubba Watson: LIV Golf shouldn't go after OWGR points

World ranking points? Forget them says Bubba Watson.

The Saudi-funded league’s application to the OWGR board was rejected last week, much to the ire of some of its players.

But the two-time Masters champion has his eyes on something else to reward the Saudi-funded circuit’s best players instead.

“I’ve been saying since the beginning of LIV that we shouldn’t go after world ranking points,” he said ahead of the Team Championship in Miami.

“We should go after the top 10, top 15 on the money list, our points list on LIV should get into majors. Makes it easy.

“These guys are so good. The top 10 this year could play against anybody. You could make a US Team, you could make a European Team, they could play with anybody, our top 10.

“So that’s how you should get into majors and I’ve been saying that forever. Forget points. Just go straight off the money list, try to get 10 people, or 15 get in; trying to get more people, so 15.”

For the LIV Golf players whose world rankings have plummeted and who are yet to win a major, more and more avenues to golf’s big four events have closed.

In the same press conference as Watson, two-time PGA Tour winner Joaquin Niemann said “he’ll try to do everything he can do to get into the majors,” after falling to 68th in the world from a previous high of 15.

LIV’s application was rejected by the Board Committee for its ‘mostly closed-style fashion’ and running individual and team formats concurrently at each of its $25 million tournaments.

Does Bubba have a future with LIV Golf?

Watson joined LIV in July 2022 initially as a non-playing captain and alternatively, as an on-course reporter. A month earlier, he’d received surgery on his knee to fix a torn meniscus.

He ended a nine-month absence by playing in this year’s Saudi International in February and his LIV Golf playing career finally got underway at Mayakoba shortly after.

But the 44-year-old has finished in the top 20 just twice in 13 events in 2023 and he addressed the prospect of stepping aside from RangeGoats GC to allow a new face to join his teammates Talor Gooch, Thomas Pieters and Harold Varner III:

“Truthfully at some point, down the road, I want to keep playing. But at some point, I’m going to back away. I’m going to be that owner who shows up to the tournaments, cheers the guys on, gets the younger crowd in, better golfers.

“I’ve told myself since the start, if you don’t think I’m good enough, then let’s get somebody better. Put them in there and I’ll just sit out. I’ll cheer you on from the other side of the ropes.

“I’ll sit in the air-conditioned box and watch y’all play golf in the heat. It’s one of those things, that I want to play golf and I want to compete but at some point, age is going to win.

“Age always wins. At that point, I’m hoping that my team comes to me with arms open and we hug it out and we find somebody younger and better, stronger, faster, all those things.

“Right now in the short term. There are open spots. There’s interest. There’s people calling, texting, even me, and I don’t have any pull. So they are asking for help to try to get in the league.”

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Is there a Bubba Watson LIV tour future? Tell us on X!

Matt Chivers

Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.

Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.

Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.

Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spent time with some of the biggest names in the sport.

Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.

What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.