Dustin Johnson hits career-low milestone as major LIV Golf problem goes on

Dustin Johnson became one of the first big names to make the move to LIV Golf two years ago, and has Saudi Arabia switch has come at a cost when it comes to the Official World Golf Ranking

Dustin Johnson has fallen to his lowest point in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) since his debut season on the PGA Tour as a 23-year-old rookie back in 2008.

Following the latest round of changes to the OWGR list on Monday, Johnson now finds himself loitering down the list as the 453rd-ranked player on the planet. His plummet down the world rankings comes on the back of his move to LIV Golf back in 2022, following in the footsteps of Phil Mickelson.

Alongside Mickelson, Johnson was one of the marquee names to make the switch from the PGA Tour to the Saudi-funded circuit, penning a deal worth a reported $125 million.

While the former Masters champion has no doubt seen his earnings trend upwards, the same can not be said for his spot in the world rankings. Ever since its formation two years ago, LIV has been continuing to host its 54-hole, no-cut events without world ranking points on offer.

Applications to the ranking body have been made by Greg Norman and co, but OWGR bosses have opted to reject the breakaway league amid LIV’s closed-shop playing roster as well as their tournament format. Their latest bid for ranking recognition was turned down last October.

We are not at war with them,” OWGR chairman, Peter Dawson told the Associated Press at the time. “This decision not to make them eligible is not political. It is entirely technical. 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.”