Days After Finding Support in Captain Bubba Watson, LIV Golf Sensation Yearns to Become Part of an Even Bigger Team

Less than three months from today, the Ryder Cup will kick off at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club near Rome. This year, the Zach Johnson-led Team US will be vying for a win on European soil after three long decades. Never in the event’s 96-year-long history, however, has the makeup of the American team been so heavily mulled over.

What was earlier a debate over whether LIV pros should get a chance to participate in the competition has now become an even more baffling conundrum in the wake of the nearly $3 billion PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger. As the biennial event draws near, one player from the Saudi-backed league has now revealed his plans to make a major statement.

LIV pro weighs in on Ryder Cup discussion following impressive outings

Teams for the 2023 Ryder Cup, which will be held from 29th September to 1st October, are steadily taking shape. On the US side, the automatic qualification spots are currently occupied by Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Brooks Koepka, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, and Max Homa.

At the moment, though, one LIV pro keeps getting pulled into Ryder Cup discussions. The player is none other than Talor Gooch, who has seen unprecedented success in LIV Golf’s 2023 season. So far, Gooch has emerged winner in three different events, all outside of America. His last victory had come in LIV Valderrama, wherein he bested 2020 US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau to nab $4 million in winnings.

In spite of his heroics, Gooch has fallen down to the 86th spot on the Ryder Cup standings. But, the 31-year-old remains undeterred. Earlier, when asked about his reaction to the PGAT-LIV union, the golfer said, “My immediate thought was, I wonder what this means for Ryder Cup?”

The LIV pro has also shared that he hasn’t yet spoken to Ryder captain Zach Johnson, who will set six picks himself. The 2-time major winner hasn’t attended any LIV Golf event either. “My voice probably isn’t going to mean much. My play is what’s going to matter,” Gooch had expressed during LIV’s event in London.

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As of now, the Oklahoma native will want to script a memorable performance at next week’s Open Championship to boost his Ryder Cup chances. Johnson will also be in attendance at the major event.

LIV Golf star Bubba Watson backs Talor Gooch for the upcoming Ryder Cup

Before defecting to LIV, Bubba Watson had won on the PGA Tour 12 times, even claiming two Masters titles. He has also participated in the Ryder Cup four times. When asked about which players should make it into the American squad this year, Watson staunchly advocated for Talor Gooch.

“He’s playing that well, and he plays really good outside the US,” the RangeGoats GC captain said about his teammate a few days back. The 44-year-old also named Rickie Fowler as his other favorite.

The Ryder Cup points will accumulate until the 20th of August. For the US team, the top six players will automatically make it into the team. The remaining six players will be the ones that Zach Johnson picks.

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Do you think Talor Gooch will make it into the Ryder Cup squad this year? How do you think he will fare at the upcoming Open Championship? Let us know in the comments below.