TALOR GOOCH’S RORY MCILROY MASTERS CLAIM RIDICULED: “HE CAN CRY ALL HE WANTS…”

Talor Gooch says if Rory McIlroy wins this year’s Masters then an asterisk needs to be put against the major due to lack of LIV Golf representation.

Talor Gooch is developing quite the habit of having his takes on certain subjects go viral.

Take, for example, his declaration in July 2022 that winning LIV Golf Portland with Dustin Johnson’s 4 Aces must have been similar to the elation one feels after triumphing in the Ryder Cup.

“I haven’t played a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup,” Gooch said. “But I can’t imagine there’s a whole hell of a lot of difference.”

His take caused Johnson, Patrick Reed and Pat Perez to snigger behind him.

Of course, Gooch made the comment in the heat of the moment and later acknowledged it was a humorous thing to say.

The 30-year-old American stopped short of saying he ‘regretted’ saying it. “I’ll just comment that I was in the moment,” he told Telegraph Sport.

Now Gooch is sure to draw similar heat after complaining about not being invited to Augusta National for this year’s Masters.

Gooch told Australian Golf Digest that should Rory McIlroy complete the career grand slam in April, then the tournament needs an asterisk next to it.

As far as Gooch is concerned, the four major championship governing bodies have ‘shown they’re not getting on board with LIV’.

Gooch’s fellow LIV pro Joaquin Niemann was a shock invite to this year’s Masters.

Though it has to be said the Chilean’s special invitation was in recognition of his victory at the Australian Open in January.

Niemann is also a former Latin America Amateur champion.

Gooch told the publication:

If Rory McIlroy goes and completes his [Career] Grand Slam without some of the best players in the world, there’s just going to be an asterisk.
“It’s just the reality. I think everybody wins whenever the majors figure out a way to get the best players in the world there.”

His comments were discussed widely on X. And the reaction was interesting to say the least.

“Brooks just won a major,” one user said. “Is that not valid?”

Another added: “Even though Gooch is wrong for now, the majors should want the best field regardless of their tour.”

This person made a sarcastic dig: “Gonna be tough to watch without Gooch. I will grin and bear it.”

Another comment read: “Talor Gooch can cry all he wants but his narrative is wrong.”

Gooch was comfortably inside the top 60 players in the Official World Golf Ranking when he started playing LIV Golf events.

He was banned by the PGA Tour for doing so and was one of a posse of LIV players to take that decision to court.

Gooch attempted but was unsuccessful in obtaining a temporary restraining order that would have allowed him to participate in the FedEx Cup playoffs following his switch to LIV.   

He has had a successful career in the LIV so far, being named the individual champion in 2023, but his ranking in the OWGR has dropped to 427th.   

“He did not qualify for any of the major tournaments in 2024.”   

He recently disclosed that he is using some of his earnings from LIV to participate in bull riding.  

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