Ranking system set for revamp

Golf’s world ranking system is to phase in changes from next January which it is hoped will encourage the game’s stars to play more.

A meeting at Turnberry of Tour and major championship officials ended with them taking steps to ease concerns that players are penalised for entering more events.

Michael Bonallack, chairman of the governing board of the rankings, said: “The board believes this measure will encourage players to play more often, which will be a positive development for all Tours and the game of professional golf in general.”

The rankings are calculated on a points average and while there is already is a minimum divisor of 40 events over a two-year period this will be the first time a maximum divisor has been introduced.

The figure will be 60 next January and then a two-tournament reduction every six months through to January 2012 when it will be 52.

At the Wales Open last month Irishman Paul McGinley called on the sport’s administrators to “wake up” and change the system.

That event featured only three of the world’s top 50 and McGinley said: “It’s a problem. In these economic times all sponsors are facing the same problem of getting top players to play and in my opinion the world ranking system does not reward guys who play a lot of tournaments.

“I understand the big picture. All contracts are tied in with the world rankings and they determine who gets into events.

“At present the system rewards players who play only 20 tournaments a year and we should be encouraging guys to play more.”

Much was made of the fact in April that American star Davis Love missed out on The Masters because he did not get any points in the last week of qualifying whereas if he had not played he would have made it to Augusta.