Night Golf and World Ranking Points: A New Era Begins at LIV Golf Riyadh
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA — The 2026 LIV Golf season launched this week with a spectacle that was both visually and historically transformative for the sport. For the first time in the league’s history, the season opener at Riyadh Golf Club is being played entirely under the lights, creating a high-energy, night-tournament atmosphere that feels more like a Formula 1 weekend than a traditional Thursday at the links.
But while the neon glow of the desert sky captured the cameras, the real electricity was found in a major off-course breakthrough: the formal inclusion of LIV Golf into the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) system.
The OWGR Breakthrough: “Unprecedented” Limitations
After nearly four years of stalemate, the OWGR board announced on Tuesday that it has finally begun awarding world ranking points to LIV events, starting with this week’s Riyadh opener. The move follows LIV’s transition to a 72-hole format and an expanded field of 57 players for the 2026 season.
However, the “breakthrough” came with a significant caveat. Under a new “Small Field Tournament” classification, only the top 10 finishers (and ties) in each event will receive points.
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The Math: While the winner in Riyadh is projected to earn roughly 23.03 points, a player finishing 11th will receive zero—the same as the player in last place.
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The Backlash: LIV executives have been vocal in their criticism, calling the restriction “unprecedented” and “disproportionate.” A league spokesperson argued that the rule “disproportionately harms players who consistently perform at a high level but finish just outside that threshold.”
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The Player Perspective: Despite the limitations, veteran Peter Uihlein expressed a more pragmatic view: “We’ve been in the dark for a long time. Just getting a foot in the door is a start. At least now, if you play great, you can actually move the needle.”
The Leaderboard: A Three-Way Deadlock
The competition on the grass has been as tight as the legal battles off it. As the tournament enters its final stretch, the leaderboard is a crowded affair with three heavyweights sharing the top spot at 10-under par.
| Player | Team | To Par |
| Talor Gooch | Smash GC | -10 |
| Peter Uihlein | RangeGoats GC | -10 |
| Thomas Detry | 4Aces GC | -10 |
Talor Gooch, making his debut as the captain of Smash GC, carded back-to-back 67s to seize a share of the lead. “I’ve got a ‘Rule of 67’ going right now,” Gooch joked after his round. “If you shoot 67 around here, you’re going to be in the mix. The lights actually help with focus; it’s like being on a stage.”
Lurking just one shot back at 9-under is a dangerous chasing pack, including Jon Rahm (Legion XIII), Sebastian Muñoz (Torque GC), and the tournament’s breakout rookie, Elvis Smylie (Ripper GC).
Team Standings: Smash GC Sets the Pace
In the team competition, Gooch’s Smash GC holds a three-shot lead at 30-under, bolstered by a spectacular bogey-free 64 from Jason Kokrak—the lowest round of the tournament thus far. Torque GC (-27) and 4Aces GC (-23) remain within striking distance as the league’s new “all scores count” format keeps the pressure high on every player in the field.
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