LIV Golf's Talor Gooch OUT of U.S. Open with rule change: "It only affects me!"

LIV Golf's Talor Gooch is currently unable to compete in the U.S. Open.

27 Apr 2023

LIV Golf's Talor Gooch OUT of U.S. Open with rule change: "It only affects me!"

LIV Golf's Talor Gooch was in the field for the forthcoming US Open, but thanks to a minor rule change he's now out of the major.

That rule change was confirmed by the USGA in February. Unfortunately for Gooch, he was the only LIV competitor affected.

Previously there were signals that LIV defectors would possibly be prohibited from competing in the major championship.

But USGA CEO Seth Waugh stated the division in men's professional golf was not good for the game as he outlined the qualifying criteria.

Gooch was in the field given that he qualified for the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake before he was suspended by Jay Monahan for joining the rival league.

The 31-year-old American was one of three LIV players that took legal action to try and force their way into the FedEx Cup Playoffs but a judge ruled against them.

Gooch won LIV Golf's most recent event in Adelaide and will tee it up for Bubba Watson's RangeGoats this week in Singapore.

LIV Golf's Talor Gooch OUT of U.S. Open with rule change:

He told The 73rd Hole Podcast:

"I was hopeful after Augusta came out and announced their field – they announced that I was in the field via my world ranking but also via qualifying for the Tour Championship.

"Obviously, I was suspended from the tour and wasn't able to play but my body of work for the season. up to being banned from the tour was good enough to get me into the Tour Championship.

"I was glad that Augusta recognised that because, historically, up until this last year, if you make the Tour Championship, it gets you into The Masters, the US Open and the British Open.

"So when Augusta came out and made that decision, I was very optimistic that everybody else would follow suit."

Gooch continued:

"The USGA decided to go in a different direction and retroactively changed that rule. Basically the rule now within the USGA states that you have to qualify for the Tour Championship and also be eligible to play.

"That was obviously disappointing because that changed rule only affected one person, which was me, so that was frustrating and tough because with LIV still not being rewarded with world ranking points, I have only two options to qualify for the US Open: via my world ranking, which is going to be very challenging, or trying to obviously go through the qualifying route of sectional qualifying.

"I'm hopeful that my ranking stays high enough for the next month that I get in. Time will tell on that."

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