The R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) will go live on the internet http://www.randa.org/wagr in January 2007 following an 18 month trial during which it has been welcomed by governing bodies and tournament organisers throughout the world.
The R&A first proposed the WAGR as a means of clarifying entry into its championships but the trial introduction has gone further, with the criteria now seen as a valid indicator of player rankings throughout the elite amateur game.
“We are pleased with the way the Ranking has developed during this trial period” said Mike Tate, for The R&A. “In particular, the level of international support for its adoption has convinced us that it will be seen throughout the golfing nations as an increasingly useful tool and as a way of comparing one elite amateur player against another.
“Until now this has been a difficult task given that many play on different continents and with different handicap systems. Early indications suggest that the Ranking will be embraced by a significant number of the major golfing nations and we are hopeful that others will realise the benefits that can accrue through its use.”
The R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) will be issued weekly on completion of the previous week’s Counting Events and will rank amateur golfers on the basis of performance in these events.
The calendar of Counting Events currently comprises 280 amateur events worldwide – Africa (17), Asia/Pacific (40), Continental Europe (33), GB&I (50), Latin America including the Caribbean (15), and North America (125). Other events will be accepted if nominated by an affiliated Union/Federation where no counting event presently exists.
The list of Counting Events includes the four Major Championships and official events from the six professional tours that make up the International Federation of PGA Tours, together with the Canadian, Challenge, Korean, Nationwide, Scandic League, Telia, the Tour de Las Americas and any other tour recognised by the WAGR Committee. For a professional event to be considered a Counting Event, it must have a WAGR Player in its starting field.
In all Counting Events, stroke play scores and match play results are deemed Counting Rounds that are taken into account and WAGR points awarded. To reflect current form, points are accumulated over a rolling period of 52 weeks. Each player is ranked according to his average pointage that is determined by dividing the total number of points by the number of Counting Rounds played over that period of 52 weeks. There is a minimum divisor of 32 Counting Rounds over the 52 week period.
To become an R&A WAGRanked player, a golfer must reach the latter stage of a match play Counting Event or finish within those places awarded points in a strokeplay Counting Event.
The R&A is golf’s world rules and development body and organiser of The Open Championship. It operates with the consent of more than 125 national and international, amateur and professional organisations, from over 110 countries and on behalf of an estimated 28 million golfers in Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific and The Americas (outside the USA and Mexico). The United States Golf Association (USGA) is the game’s governing body in the United States and Mexico.
The R&A www.RandA.org