Former
Masters champion Trevor Immelman has been appointed to succeed Peter
Dawson as chairman of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).
The
South African, who landed his Green Jacker in 2008, will take over from
Dawson, who has held the role since 2016, during this year’s Masters.
“The
Official World Golf Ranking has always been a huge part of my life and
professional career,” said Immelman, who will continue in his role as
the lead golf analyst on the CBS commentary team.
“Growing
up in South Africa and falling in love with the game as a youngster,
the ranking system was how I tracked and followed my favourite players
and understood who the best players in the world were.
“Then,
as I turned professional, my focus on the rankings intensified, as I
knew being in the top 50 allowed me to play in the biggest tournaments
around the world.
“I
am extremely honoured to follow in the footsteps of Sir Michael
Bonallack and Peter Dawson as chairman, and I look forward to working
closely with board members to ensure OWGR remains committed to its
mission.”
Immelman
will become the third OWGR chair since 2004. Bonallack held the
position for 12 years from 2004 before being succeeded by Dawson.
“It
has been a privilege to serve as Chairman of OWGR and to work with the
Board to serve men’s professional golf,” said Dawson, a former chief
executive of The R&A.
“OWGR
provides an important framework and is continuing to evolve and improve
while remaining true to its mission. I wish Trevor the very best and
I’m sure he will carry out the role with distinction.”
In
a separate announcement, the OWGR will start using a new points
distribution curve with immediate effect in events that have Low Field
Ratings.
Although
there is no change to the total amount of points awarded for these
tournaments, a steeper points distribution curve gives 50 per cent more
points to the winner of low field rating tournaments, with a 26 per cent
overall increase in points to the top five.
This
will enable additional upward movement in the ranking for the best
performing players in these low-field rating tournaments.
