Taylor Gooch has expressed his frustration at Rory McIlroy being excluded from the 2024 Masters.
Mr. Gooch is among a group of LIV Golf stars whose path to major qualification has been blocked by LIV Golf’s inability to earn points on the Official World Golf Rankings, but McIlroy is ultimately the elusive player. Even if he were to win a green jacket and complete a career Grand Slam, he says it won’t happen. Augusta’s field is limited, so it makes sense as well.
“If Rory McIlroy completes a Grand Slam without the best players in the world, he just gets an asterisk. That’s just reality.” Gooch told Australian Golf Digest. “If the majors find a way to get the best players in the world, I think everyone wins.”
LIV Golf has been in a public battle since the decision was made not to award OWGR points to players on the Saudi-backed breakaway tour, giving golfers a chance to qualify for a major if they had not qualified through other means such as winning. My chance to qualify has been ruined. Previous major.
Gooch, 32, joined LIV Golf two years ago and won the season’s individual title in 2023 after winning three tournaments and earning an $18 million bonus.
His best finish in a major was a tie for 14th at the 2022 Masters.
Gooch was criticized in July 2022 after his team with Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Pat Perez won the LIV Golf Tournament, comparing the atmosphere to that of the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup.
McIlroy was the face of the PGA Tour’s resistance to LIV Golf until the summer when the tour decided to explore a partnership with the Saudi Public Investment Fund to support LIV Golf.
The 34-year-old, who hasn’t won a major since 2014 and missed the cut last year after finishing second at the 2022 Masters, at one point described himself as a “sacrificial lamb.”
He has recently softened his stance on LIV golf, calling for the best possible tournament field.
This led McIlroy’s former agent, Chubby Chandler, to hypothesize that McIlroy could end up making a shock move to LIV Golf for $950 million.
McIlroy won the latest edition of “The Match” on Monday in West Palm Beach, defeating Max Homa, Lexi Thompson and Rose Chan in a 12-hole skins game.
