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Composition of silhouette of male golf player over landscape and pink sky with copy space Composition of silhouette of male golf player over landscape and pink sky with copy space. sport and competition concept digitally generated image., model released, , property released, Cork, Ireland, 2021-05-26T14:32:38.000Z, 1451967.jpg, people,composition,silhouette,male,golf player,landscape,pink,sky,copy space,sport,competition,concept,digitally generated,generated image,travel,nature,blue,outdoor,view,summer,tourism,recreation,beautiful,digital animation,water,background,montage,activity,sun,vacation,sunset,active,illustration,design,golf,player,copy,space,digitally,generated,image Mature Adult,Man,Male,Caucasian| Credits: Imago
In a sport where winning takes place once in a few months, Talor Gooch begs to stand out. The LIV Golf star has won the Singapore event becoming the first golfer in the lucrative Tour to win back-to-back tournaments. But despite being in the form of his life, Gooch faces another setback in his thriving career, due to his move to Saudi-funded Tour.
Talor turned pro back in 2014. However, it took the Oklahoma State University golfer another seven years to claim his first win on the PGA Tour. While his 2021 RSM Classic victory was his biggest feat during his American Tour days, Gooch’s development on the course has been invincible in recent weeks. Despite the dominant performances in two constant weeks, the LIV star was further punished by the Official World Golf Rankings.
No OWGR points for the in-form Talor Gooch
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During LIV Golf’s Adelaide event, Gooch stunned the golf world with back-to-back 10 under-par rounds. His impressive first two rounds at The Grange were good enough to compensate for his +1 third round and claim him his first LIV victory.
Talor Gooch is 36 under for his last 6 rounds and won back-to-back in the best field of the week, but his World Ranking dropped from 57-60. The OWGR has obvious flaws and major championships need to find new ways to get players into their events or risk devaluing the competition.
— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) May 1, 2023
The 31-year-old continued his momentum in Singapore, by defeating the 2017 Masters winner Sergio Garcia in a playoff. By combining Talor Gooch’s last six rounds of the Australian and Singapore event, he is 36 under par. Moreover, winning the events back to back, he was evidently the best golfer on the field. Instead of seeing himself rise in OWGR’s latest update, Gooch’s ranking further plummeted.
After winning LIV Golf Adelaide, the 57th-ranked Talor dropped two positions. However, following his win in Singapore, the in-form player was further dropped to 60th rank. While Talor may have won $8 million in the span of two weeks, he didn’t earn any OWGR points. But why are the defectors still not receiving any points from the ranking body?
Why haven’t Gooch and fellow LIV Golfers not received any OWGR points?
The fight to earn ranking points has been a battle since LIV Golf’s initiation. But since the lucrative Tour is Invitational, has smaller field sizes, and is a 54-hole event with no cut-line policy, it doesn’t fall into the ranking criteria.
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USA Today via Reuters
Apr 23, 2023; Adelaide, South Australia, AUS; Talor Gooch celebrates his victory in the individual tournament after the final round of LIV Golf Adelaide golf tournament at Grange Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
While commissioner Greg Norman has voiced support for his golfers, LIV Golf has yet to receive any positive update from the Official World Golf Ranking body. As the golfers in the Breakaway Tour are continuing to earn the right to be ranked, they will have to wait further for better news. But until then, talented golfers like Talor Gooch will have to face the negative circumstance of joining the Saudi-funded Tour.
What are your thoughts on Gooch not receiving any OWGR points? Let us know in the comment section below.
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Watch This Story: Moments After Winning $4,000,000, Talor Gooch Asserts Why He Left the PGA Tour
