リブゴルフのポイント付与は「困難な闘い」に直面、アジアンツアーCEO
アジアンツアーのCEO兼コミッショナーのチョー・ミンタン氏は、世界ゴルフランキング(OWGR)のメンバー構成が、ゴルフ界を分断しているリブゴルフへのポイント適用を難しくしているとの認識を示した。
リブゴルフに参戦している選手は破格の賞金を稼いでいるものの、ポイントが付与されなければランキングが後退し、メジャー大会への出場権獲得が危うい状況に陥る。OWGRは現在、同シリーズの問題を再検討しており、そのプロセスは1年以上を要するとみられる。
チョー氏はAFPの取材に対し、OWGAの理事会が米国ツアーと欧州ツアーの責任者を含む有力者で構成されていると強調した上で、「困難な闘いであることは確実だ」と述べた。
リブゴルフ参戦選手について、米ツアーは主催大会への出場を禁止しているが、メジャー4大会は同シリーズの選手の扱いについてはまだ決めていない。
チョー氏は「願わくば、メジャー大会が正気を取り戻し、これらの選手が欠場するメジャー大会は世界最高の選手の集まりではなくなることに気づいてもらいたい」とも語った。
たとえ来季はポイントが付与されても、選手は大きくランキングを下げて追いつくことは不可能になるかもしれない。しかしチョー氏は、選手はそのリスクを承知していたはずだったとして、「そのことは、決断のプロセスにおいて彼らに明確に示されていた。それは間違いない」と述べた。
さらに「スタートした年に、すぐさま世界ゴルフランキングを期待するのは現実的ではない」としつつ、「しかし、選手の人数やレベルにおける招待シリーズの今年の成功は、このツアーが来年のランキングポイント対象に値することを示していると思う」と語った。【翻訳編集AFPBBNews】
〔AFP=時事〕(2022/10/17-14:59)
LIV facing 'uphill battle' for rankings points, says Asian boss
The Saudi-funded LIV Golf tour faces a fight to win world rankings points, the Asian Tour's CEO warned on Friday after players voiced growing frustration with the impasse.
The make-up of the Official World Golf Rankings board suggests difficulties for the breakaway tour's application, the Asian Tour's Cho Minh Thant said.
Players are earning huge sums in LIV's inaugural season but without points they are plunging down the rankings, jeopardising their chances of qualifying for the major championships.
The official rankings body, whose board is stacked with senior figures from US and European golf, is currently reviewing LIV's case -- a process that is expected to take more than a year.
It's an uphill battle, that's for sure, Cho told AFP, when reminded that the OWGR board consists of establishment figures including the heads of the US and European tours.
The US PGA Tour has banned the LIV rebels from its events and the US Ryder Cup team, while a similar suspension by Europe's DP World Tour is on hold pending a court challenge.
However, the four major championships are yet to decide whether to allow LIV players.
Hopefully the major championships come to their senses and realise that a major championship without some of these players is not a selection of the best players in the world, said Cho.
At this week's LIV invitational in Saudi Arabia, Patrick Reed, now 56th, complained he was getting hammered in the rankings. Former world number one Dustin Johnson is down to 24th.
Even if points are introduced next year, players could be so far down the rankings that they cannot catch up. But Cho said they were aware of the risks.
- LIV 'lifeline' -
That was made clear to them in their decision-making process. I'm very sure of that, he said.
I don't think it was realistic to expect World Golf rankings instantly during a start-up year, Cho added.
But I think the success of the invitationals this year with the number of players and the quality of players that have signed up really point to this tour being legitimate and worthy of all ranking points next year.
The Asian Tour, which formally proposed LIV for rankings points, is closely aligned with the new circuit after they struck a $200 million deal to host 10 international events, separate to the LIV tour, each year for up to a decade.
Cho said the deal was a lifeline for the Asian Tour after a nearly two-year Covid shutdown brought it close to collapse. Next season will be the most lucrative yet with up to 26 tournaments, he said.
However, the advent of LIV, which has eight tournaments in its inaugural season, has split golf with the US and European tours lined up against the Saudi-funded venture and the Asian circuit.
Cho said it was frustrating that Asian Tour players were now being asked to pick sides in the dispute after the tours lived very harmoniously for decades.
We don't have any issues with guys playing other tours. That's the most frustrating thing with how the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour have behaved towards us, he said.
They want the players to make a choice on whether they play over there or in Asia. We like to think that players can play wherever they want if they qualify.
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