PGA Championship: Talor Gooch reacts to shocking invite despite LIV Golf OWGR beef

Talor Gooch has acquired a particular invitation from the PGA of America to play in subsequent week’s PGA Championship. So, there can be no asterisk subsequent to the 2024 PGA Championship winner within the historical past books.

All jokes apart, Gooch, the LIV Golf star who has gained three occasions on the Saudi-backed circuit, will tee it up at Valhalla Golf Club in his fifth straight PGA Championship look subsequent week.

This is a stunning growth contemplating the LIV star had finished subsequent to nothing outdoors of LIV to try to earn factors and qualify.

He has gone as far as to state he is not going to even try to qualify for the U.S. Open. Gooch has publicly acknowledged his disdain for the Official World Golf Rankings and it’s stronghold it has on LIV gamers’ capability to earn entry within the majors.

Following the information, Gooch took to social media to categorical some gratitude, although.

“Looking forward to Valhalla next week!” Gooch wrote.

“Thank you for the invitation @PGA. See y’all there.”

The 32-year-old has not seen nice success on the PGA in his 4 prior appearances. He missed the reduce at Oak Hill a yr in the past and tied for twentieth at Southern Hills in 2022. The yr earlier than, when Phil Mickelson gained at Kiawah Island, Gooch tied for forty first. In 2020, he failed to make the weekend at TPC Harding Park in his first PGA Championship look.

Earlier this yr, in February, Gooch got here underneath hearth for some feedback he made about Rory McIlroy presumably finishing the profession Grand Slam at Augusta National.

“If McIlroy goes and completes his Grand Slam without some of the best players in the world, there’s just going to be an asterisk,” Gooch stated.

“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.”

Since becoming a member of LIV Golf in 2022, Gooch—and lots of different LIV gamers—have slammed the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) for not awarding factors to gamers who compete in LIV Golf occasions.

“This decision not to make them eligible is not political. It is entirely technical,” stated Peter Dawson, the OWGR board chair, in October.

“LIV players are self-evidently good enough to be ranked. They’re just not playing in a format where they can be ranked equitably with the other 24 tours and thousands of players trying to compete on them.”

As such, Gooch has seen his OWGR rating tumble considerably. But the PGA of America clearly sees worth in including him to its championship, which prides itself on being the “Greatest field in golf.”

He didn’t obtain an invite from the United States Golf Association (USGA) to compete within the upcoming U.S. Open.

Yet, with Gooch’s inclusion into the 2024 PGA Championship subject, 11 LIV Golf gamers will peg it into the bottom at Valhalla.

Twenty-two-year-old LIV golfer David Puig additionally acquired an invite from the PGA of America, as he has gained twice on the Asian Tour prior to now eight months. Puig misplaced in a playoff to John Catlin in Macau, too.

The different 9 LIV Golf gamers in subsequent week’s PGA Championship subject follows beneath:

• Bryson DeChambeau
• Tyrrell Hatton
• Dustin Johnson
• Martin Kaymer
• Brooks Koepka
• Phil Mickelson
• Joaquin Niemann
• Jon Rahm
• Cameron Smith

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be positive to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.