One LIV player who wanted to compete in the Masters was Talor Gooch! But the Masters is often referred to as ‘The Granddaddy of Them All’ and so, it is quite difficult to qualify for it. It becomes even more difficult for LIV golfers. Of the roster of 89, only 13 are from the Saudi-funded league. So Gooch is grumpy about not getting in.
He has been voicing his frustration at not being included in majors for some time now. What did he get in return? Nothing! Now, it seems, people are sort of losing their compassion for him! Especially after Fred Ridley’s recent remarks.
Did the Masters Chairman take a dig at Talor Gooch?
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When questioned about LIV golfers getting into the Augusta showdown, Fred Ridley had a cryptic response, appearing to take a jab at Talor Gooch. He stated, “There’s been communication that’s been public regarding the LIV application, which it subsequently was withdrawn after some remedial suggestions were made regarding pathways and access to players and concern about some of the aspects of team golf. But I think in our case, we’re an invitational, and we can adjust as necessary.”
“I mean, a great example is this year Joaquin Niemann was given a special invitation. We felt that Joaquin had not only a great record coming up to this year, but after his season, he went to Australia, played very well there, finished fourth in the Australian PGA, won the Australian Open, one of the great, great championships in the world. And we thought he was deserving of a special invitation.”
Talor Gooch, a strong advocate for LIV Golf, has admitted that getting into the major championships is difficult for him and other LIV players. “I think the majors have kind of shown that they’re not getting on board with LIV,” said the golfer previously. Gooch showcased stellar golfing skills in 2023 and won three LIV Golf events. He thought that he deserved to be in the majors.
In response to question about LIV guys getting into the Masters, chairman Fred Ridley says if there were ever a player they felt was worthy of playing and wasn't qualified they'd simply invite them. "We're an invitational."
— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) April 10, 2024
Disappointed and frustrated with the entire matter, he opened up about the matter in Miami as well and said that he can only focus on good golf and continue doing his part as it is the only thing he can control. “So hopefully the day will turn when the majors decide to start rewarding good play on LIV. Hopefully, that’ll be sooner than later,” he added.
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Not being able to play in the Masters is not what Gooch was planning this year, but it happened! Ridley deemed him the player who was not worthy, and it seems that fans agree with him! They took to social media to talk about Gooch.
Fans won’t leave Talor Gooch alone!
One fan praised Ridley and commented, “This is a great response and exactly how it should be.” Their reaction suggests that they believe the major championships should maintain their independence and not be influenced by LIV Golf. Not so surprisingly, this opinion must be held by a lot of PGA Tour loyalists.
Further, Niemann displayed exceptional skills lately with his finishes and his win at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open. He became the first Chilean golfer to win the tournament. And crediting him for it and taunting Gooch for the whining, a fan commented, “Please see Niemann.”
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Continuing the jab at the 3x LIV Golf winner, a fan commented, “Dagger to Gooch. Love it.” It seems that Gooch’s plea for fair recognition and doing anything to prove his take has even gotten fans riled up. Even after becoming the top earner in LIV Golf in 2023, he could not gather fans’ love. Comments like “Did they mail Tyler Gooch’s invite to his old address?” and “LIV fanboys and Talor Gooch got steam coming out of their earns rn lol” were abundant.
Talking about the worthy players and seeing them compete, a golf fan wrote, “Great response! It is so great to see all the best players this week. Koepka, Rahm and crew, just so awesome!” The fan acknowledged that the worthy players are already in the field, and are competing for the highly coveted Green Jacket.
Greg Norman recently praised Gooch a lot and called him the “best iron player” that he has seen in 20 years! However, this was not the common consensus among fans. They loved to see Gooch getting subtly bashed, and one of them commented, “Talor Gooch getting dunked on rn yoh love to see it.”
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Gooch’s plea has surely made him the center of subtle jabs in the golf world. Do you seem to agree with Talor Gooch or Fred Ridley? Let us know in the comments below!