LIV Golf

[HomerJSimpson]

Why need? There are lots of great players never to breakthrough in a "major".


Countless top players have struggled for various reasons and never returned to former heights - Duval, Spieth, Kaymer, Donald, Day, Simpson, Walker, Mahan, etc.

Also, Gooch was a top-35 player (owgr) and top-20 (PGA Tour) before LIV and then won 3 times and finished top of the rankings, so his claim to be one of the best in the world (not the best), was certainly not unreasonable at the time.

I thought he was claiming on his day he was the best. Even with those rankings I find it hard to categorsie him as one of the best. Top 10 and then you have a point.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

A bit harsh, Phillip.


Talor Gooch was ranked 31st in the world when he joined LIV Golf and had already secured a PGA Tour victory.
That alone speaks volumes about his ability, as breaking into the top 50 in the world is no small feat, let alone winning on one of the most competitive tours in the world.
Had he remained on the PGA Tour, it’s reasonable to assume that his Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) would have continued to improve, given the form he was in at the time and the golf he played on Liv.


I do agree with you to an extent—he was never going to be a generational talent or a world-beater. At his best, he was a top-20 caliber player, but that still makes him an extremely high-level professional golfer. Not every player has to be a multiple-major winner to still be considered elite.


Another thing people tend to overlook is just how difficult it is to succeed at the highest level in golf.
The difference between a player ranked 20th in the world and one ranked 100th is often razor-thin.
Winning on the PGA Tour is considered a benchmark, and maintaining a high ranking over multiple seasons is even harder and he achieved both.


LIV Golf often gets criticised, but the level of competition at the top is stronger than many give it credit for.
When you have players like Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Cam Smith, and Bryson DeChambeau in the field, winning on LIV is no walk in the park. Gooch more than held his own in that environment, which further proves his quality as a player at the time.

Right now though he is struggling with his game.

Throughout history you will find plenty of players that have a little hit streak over a year , get into the top 50 etc

and then they fall away never to be seen in the winners circle again - it happens, nothing much different in many individual sports

He will be like them - solid middle of the road pro

 

[HomerJSimpson]

There will also always be another Richard Bland who wins after 478 tour starts

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Plenty of people have never won a Major, some in the HOF.

But what ever rocks your boat, heaven for bid a LIV player wins, hope you have an ambulance on standby.

2, or is it 3?, LIV players have already won a major since joining LIV. You would think after that point that it would stop being a thing and they would just be 'golfers playing in the tournament' but apparently not.

 

[AussieKB]

2, or is it 3?, LIV players have already won a major since joining LIV. You would think after that point that it would stop being a thing and they would just be 'golfers playing in the tournament' but apparently not.

Agree, but apparently not if you read this thread......

Luckily I don't need an ambulance on standby no matter whoever wins.

 

[WorldHandicapSystem]

A bit harsh, Phillip.

LIV Golf often gets criticised, but the level of competition at the top is stronger than many give it credit for.
When you have players like Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Cam Smith, and Bryson DeChambeau in the field, winning on LIV is no walk in the park. Gooch more than held his own in that environment, which further proves his quality as a player at the time.

Right now though he is struggling with his game.

Cam Smith is another that was a decent top 50 player who had a hot spell. But Cam capitalised on it to win some very big events. Gooch didn’t. He’s a good player, but nowhere near as good as he and the LiV promoters said he was.

Winning on LiV isn’t easy, but it’s a darn sight easier than on other tours.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Agree, but apparently not if you read this thread......

Luckily I don't need an ambulance on standby no matter whoever wins.

I’m not sure your point ?

Plenty have said that there will be LIV golfers being a threat at majors - there are some that always will be

2, or is it 3?, LIV players have already won a major since joining LIV. You would think after that point that it would stop being a thing and they would just be 'golfers playing in the tournament' but apparently not.

Think it’s just BDC and Koepka who has won whilst being on LIV

There are some players that it doesn’t matter what Tour they are on will always be a threat

 

[wjemather]

Winning a major gives a player that extra step up -

So no actual need then.

You have highlight multiple tour and major winners there , players that had long careers with little down spells and included world number 1’s

So in your mind it's ok for a major winner or world number 1 to decline and never come back (not little down spells), but not ok for Talor Gooch to have a downturn that he may yet come back from?

Top 35 ? Top 20

Not really the stellar golfer he was claiming himself to be

Multiple missed cuts in majors

So yep nowhere near the level he claimed he was

To even try and compare to players like Speith , Day etc is laughable at best

Anyone reaching #31 in the world ranking is unquestionably among the best in the world, and he did that before having a golden spell on LIV. To say otherwise is just petty small-mindedness in pursuit of slating someone you don't care for despite knowing very little about them.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

So no actual need then.


So in your mind it's ok for a major winner or world number 1 to decline and never come back (not little down spells), but not ok for Talor Gooch to have a downturn that he may yet come back from?


Anyone reaching #31 in the world ranking is unquestionably among the best in the world, and he did that before having a golden spell on LIV. To say otherwise is just petty small-mindedness in pursuit of slating someone you don't care for despite knowing very little about them.

Is it because he is on LIV


I’ll make it a bit simpler for you

Talor Gooch is your standard decent tour golfer , he isn’t and never will be amongst the high echelons of the top level of golfers

Ones that you have mentioned that have won majors , been to world number 1

He had a little hot streak and he used that to enhance his legacy in his own mind

He acted as if he deserved to be in the same bracket as the likes of BDC , Rahm , Rory. Scheffler etc

It’s very simple

 

[Beezerk]

I remember years ago my cousing telling me that sometimes it's better to say nothing at all than to just talk

 

[wjemather]

Is it because he is on LIV

Only you can know that, but I suspect you'd have a hard time convincing anyone that LIV has nothing to do with it.

Talor Gooch is your standard decent tour golfer , he isn’t and never will be amongst the high echelons of the top level of golfers

The claim was "one of the best" not "one of the best of the best".

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Only you can know that, but I suspect you'd have a hard time convincing anyone that LIV has nothing to do with it.


The claim was "one of the best" not "one of the best of the best".

one of the best isn’t someone who didn’t make the top ten in the world , hasn’t made a single top ten in a major and certainly not someone who’s sole win on the PGAT was a low level tournament

 

[Mel Smooth]

Don't forget to get your picks in for Miami guys.

Rumour has it Donald Trump is gonna be on site where he can hopefully give Talor Gooch some tips on getting back to his best.

Join my league!

Join "Golf Monthly LIV Fantasy Golf" in the LIV Golf Fantasy game!

fantasy.livgolf.com

 

[HomerJSimpson]

So no actual need then.


So in your mind it's ok for a major winner or world number 1 to decline and never come back (not little down spells), but not ok for Talor Gooch to have a downturn that he may yet come back from?


Anyone reaching #31 in the world ranking is unquestionably among the best in the world, and he did that before having a golden spell on LIV. To say otherwise is just petty small-mindedness in pursuit of slating someone you don't care for despite knowing very little about them.

I disagree. I would take top 10 and a few career wins and one of the best in the world.

 

[BrianM]

Players go through spells like we all do, On his weekend Gooch can win just like any other player.
This narrative that basically he is garbage is embarrassing, golf is hard.

 

[AussieKB]

Time to put all the toys back in the basket boys.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Players go through spells like we all do, On his weekend Gooch can win just like any other player.
This narrative that basically he is garbage is embarrassing, golf is hard.

Not sure why it needs to be either way - World class or garbage

No one has said he is garbage

Basically he is a decent tour golfer , you have to be to get onto the PGAT

But he isn’t the legend he perceived himself to be 2 years ago - he isn’t one the best in the game etc

Just a good tour golfer - the same as many of those other decent tour golfers that qualify for tour

Mr Asterisk himself

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Players go through spells like we all do, On his weekend Gooch can win just like any other player.
This narrative that basically he is garbage is embarrassing, golf is hard.

Definitely not garbage but imo he's not quite the calibre of player he perhaps thinks in his own mind. Definitely a decent enough golfer but never broken into the top 10 or challenged for majors regularly

 

[BrianM]

Not sure why it needs to be either way - World class or garbage

No one has said he is garbage

Basically he is a decent tour golfer , you have to be to get onto the PGAT

But he isn’t the legend he perceived himself to be 2 years ago - he isn’t one the best in the game etc

Just a good tour golfer - the same as many of those other decent tour golfers that qualify for tour

Mr Asterisk himself

So he’s like 95% of professional golfers.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

So he’s like 95% of professional golfers.

Yeah pretty much which was the point