With the win, Smylie climbed from 133rd in the rankings to 77th. With plenty of opportunities to earn points between now and March 30th, the 23-year-old now has his sights set on a Masters debut.

“It’s a by-product of the great work I’m doing with my team and the good golf that I’m playing,” he said after the final round at LIV Golf Riyadh. “If I continue to do that, then all that stuff will take care of itself. But it’s definitely motivating for me to try to get into the Masters.”

Rahm, the Legion XIII captain, who is already in the field for all four major championships due to past major wins and recent strong major performances, also made a notable move up the rankings with his second-place finish, climbing from 93rd to 67th. 

Other notable movers after Riyadh: Sebastian Munoz jumped 201 spots (767th to 566th), Abraham Ancer climbed 167 spots (616th to 449th), and Thomas Pieters rose 145 spots (564th to 419th). 

With OWGR points finally on the line for deserving LIV Golf players, the door to the majors has cracked open wider than ever—and Smylie’s breakthrough victory is the perfect proof that strong play in the league can now lead straight to Augusta National Golf Club and beyond.