Talor Gooch voices his disapproval of the way LIV Golf treated The Masters.
Although Talor Gooch has never played in a Ryder Cup, he likened LIV Golf to its vibrant atmosphere. In addition, he claimed responsibility for some alterations made to the PGA Tour but it’s unclear why. Therefore, take whatever statements Gooch makes with extreme skepticism and doubt.
Joaquin Niemann received one of the three special invitations to participate in this year’s Augusta National tournament. Among his noteworthy achievements, winning at the Australian Open and securing top-five finishes at DP World Tour events were highlighted in a press release.
Despite the fact that Augusta National was implicated in an antitrust lawsuit brought by 11 LIV golfers in August 2022, Niemann’s showing at LIV Golf went unmentioned and no other players from the Saudi-supported tour were granted exclusive invitations. This is hardly unexpected given lingering doubts surrounding the competitive legitimacy of LIV Golf.
LIV Golf’s failure to achieve Official World Golf Ranking recognition is resulting in the closure of major championship opportunities for several players, particularly those who lack significant accomplishments on their resumes. One such player is Gooch, whose ranking stood at 449th position entering this week.
Gooch, who emerged victorious three times on the LIV circuit in 2023 and clinched first place in the year-long points race, expressed his disappointment during an interview with Australian Golf Digest about not making it into the Masters field of 2024. He also stated that he wasn’t taken aback by being left out.
Gooch expressed his belief that the majors have demonstrated their reluctance towards embracing LIV. He cited “Jaco” as an example, who played exceptional golf outside of LIV and was recognized for it. Gooch hopes that someday soon, the majors will acknowledge good play on LIV and reward players accordingly.
