LIV Golf star Talor Gooch has revealed he won’t enter qualifying tournaments for The Open Championship or the US Open.
The American, who won the LIV Golf League’s individual points list in 2023, has previously expressed his gripes with the major organisations for not allowing more access for LIV players to compete, access that has been restricted due to the circuit’s rejection for Official World Golf Ranking status.
Before the Masters, Gooch said that if Rory McIlroy had completed his career grand slam, it would need an asterisk because he believed some of the best players in the world belonging to the LIV Golf League couldn’t compete. 13 LIV players played at Augusta National last month, but Gooch wasn’t one.
“I’m not,” the World No. 624 said when a reporter asked him and his Smash GC teammates if they were going to US Open qualifying.
Talor Gooch: US Open qualifying not on the agenda
Gooch delivered his blunt answer after two of his teammates spoke and detailed their plans to qualify for The Open at Troon as well as the US Open at Pinehurst. Jason Kokrak revealed he would play in Columbus, Ohio on June 3 and then in Manchester (presumably he meant West Lancs on Merseyside) on July 2 to qualify for The Open.
Graeme McDowell said he would play in Florida on June 3 in US Open qualifying, and then seemingly Royal Cinque Ports (he said just south of London) to qualify for his first Open since 2019.
Gooch isn’t exempt for this month’s PGA Championship and this trend is set to continue at the final two majors of 2024 as he revealed in Singapore on Wednesday. Despite his outspokenness, he has shown an approach that differs from several of his LIV colleagues who have increased their activity on previous occasions in pursuit of major spots.
Joaquin Niemann earned an invitation to the Masters after winning the ISPS Handa Australian Open on the DP World Tour and making a concerted effort at other DP World Tour events to earn OWGR points where he could. He has also been invited to the PGA Championship.
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Last year, McDowell and Sergio Garcia tried and failed to qualify for The Open at Hoylake through Final Qualifying, while other LIV players Branden Grace and Charl Schwartzel earned spots competing at Royal Cinque Ports.
As the LIV Golf League moves on from its world ranking application setback, Gooch and those who do not have major exemptions will continue to descend the rankings which, if you are ranked high enough in them, are usually instrumental in earning major starts.
NOW READ: Rory McIlroy’s advice for Talor Gooch: Be more like Joaquin Niemann!
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