“They were completely unreasonable” - LIV Golf champion Talor Gooch expresses frustration over changes introduced in 2024 schedule
LIV Golf will not be in Oklahoma in 2024 and Talor Gooch is not happy about that. The individual champion for the 2023 season claimed that from the circuit they did everything they could to return to his home state. "They were completely unreasonable," Gooch said.
Talor Gooch used his personal X (formerly Twitter) account to address his "Oklahoma people" on Thursday, November 22. His words were aimed at apologizing for the failure to bring LIV Golf back to Oklahoma.
"For my Oklahoma people- we busted our tail trying to work with Concert Golf Partners to get an event at Gaillardia and they weren’t tough to work with, they were completely unreasonable. I know OKC would’ve loved the event so hopefully one day we’ll get a LIV event there for the #405," Gooch wrote on X.
LIV Golf had no plans to return to Southern Hills Country Club to reprise the Tulsa Invitational, but they did plan to stay in Talor Gooch's home state. For that, they had in mind Gaillardia Golf Club in Oklahoma City, owned by private golf club operator Concert Golf Partners.
Talor Gooch is a player deeply involved with the state of Oklahoma. He was born in the state and continues to reside there to this day. He even played collegiate golf for Oklahoma State University.
Talor Gooch: From Oklahoma to LIV Golf
Talor Gooch's professional debut came in a PGA Tour tournament, the 2024 FedEx St. Jude Classic. However, it would take a while for him to become a player at that level.
A few weeks after graduating from Oklahoma State University, Gooch paid $2,750 to play the qualifier to the McKenzie Tour, a third-tier tournament played at various locations in Canada during the summer. He entered the circuit and played all 12 of its tournaments.
The goal was to finish in the top 10, as the top 5 earn cards to the Korn Ferry Tour and sixth through tenth are included in that circuit's Q-School. Gooch didn't make it that season or the next.
Eventually, Gooch made it to the Korn Ferry Tour through the 2016 Q-School. His efforts paid off as the 2017 season brought him his first professional victory, the 2017 News Sentinel Open. He also earned his PGA Tour card for the following season.
His first full season on the PGA Tour was the 2017-2018 season. From that point on, he became a steady player at that level, albeit with only one win (2021 RSM Classic).
Gooch left for LIV Golf without finishing the 2022 season on the PGA Tour. In the circuit backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia, his best results have come, both in the sporting and financial order.