Bryson DeChambeau's fall to 11th in the Official World Golf Rankings has stripped the top 10 of any LIV Golf players, yet Lucas Herbert, a fellow competitor in the Saudi-funded circuit, has praised it as "perfect" for players.
DeChambeau, despite securing his second major win at the US Open in June and nabbing runner-up at the PGA Championship, could not sustain his place within the world's elite echelon. His omission of consistent ranking points from the unsanctioned LIV Golf events has contributed to his slipping rank, underscoring the impact of choosing the rebel tour over traditional PGA Tour participation.
Nonetheless, for those who've made the leap to LIV Golf, like Herbert, all is not doom and gloom. The Australian golfer expressed effusive satisfaction with the breakaway league in a discussion with News.com.au, lauding it: "I played so much more in 2023, but it's just a perfect schedule now."
He extolled the benefits of the controversial league, stating that it affords vital leisure and training periods crucial for advancing one's game rather than mere touch-ups: "You get your time to get away from the game and get your development blocks to be able to get better, not just from a perspective of hitting balls for three or four days and then go to an event, you can actually really work on your game and elevate your skill set rather than just tune it up."
Since joining the Private Investment Fund (PIF)-supported LIV Golf circuit, Herbert has no reservations about saying he's honed his abilities on the green.
Herbert, whose game has seen a significant boost since joining the PIF-backed circuit, couldn't contain his excitement: "So just the knowledge I've been able to zap from my teammates at various stages throughout the year has been awesome, and my game has massively benefited from that."
The Australian golfer spoke warmly about the LIV Golf family-like environment, drawing an obvious distinction from the PGA Tour's less stable setting. I've loved the fact that it feels like a real family out there with LIV obviously," he remarked.
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"If you think of PGA Tour events, 156 players, 156 different caddies, 156 different families, whether it be girlfriends, parents, kids, everything, and then that changes week to week."
He went on to observe: "Players go home, others come out, and you just don't get the ability to get to know guys as well as you know out here on LIV, it's like it's the same 54 guys every week."
Regarding the issue of LIV players not earning ranking points, OWGR top dog Peter Dawson told the Associated Press: "We are not at war with them. This decision not to make them eligible is not political. It is entirely technical."
Dawson further explained the official position: "LIV players are self-evidently good enough to be ranked. They're just not playing in a format where they can be ranked equitably with the other 24 tours and thousands of players trying to compete on them."
