LIV Golfer Talor Gooch, Of The Famed "Asterisk" Masters Comment, Reveals He Won't Try To Qualify For The U.S. Open Or British Open

Asanka Ratnayake. Getty Images.

Perhaps the U.S. Open winner now needs an asterisk next to his name, for Talor Gooch will not be in the field at Pinehurst No. 2 next month. 

We're referring, of course, to Gooch's comments earlier this year about the Masters tournament. “If Rory McIlroy goes and completes his [career] grand slam without some of the best players in the world," Gooch said in March, "there's just going to be an asterisk. It's just the reality. I think everybody wins whenever the majors figure out a way to get the best players in the world there.”

Gooch has been one of the better players in LIV events and won last year's individual championship and the $18 million that comes with it. He played in three of the four majors last year, posting a T34 finish in the Masters and missing the cut in both the PGA Championship and the British Open. But he did not qualify for the 2023 U.S. Open as his world ranking has plummeted since his move to LIV. Unlike guys like Joaquin Niemann, who have played DP World Tour and Asian Tour events in search of world ranking points, Gooch has played just two non-LIV events in the last two years.

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He was asked Thursday at LIV's event in Singapore whether he might try to qualify for this year's U.S. Open at Pinehurst or the Open Championship at Royal Troon. His teammates on Smash GC, Graeme McDowell and Jason Kokrak, both said they'll give it a go to get into both tournaments. As for Gooch?

"I'm not."

Somer serious take-my-ball-and-go-home vibes. It's fully understandable to be frustrated with the world ranking situation. But wouldn't the strong move be to stick it to the OWGR and the USGA by qualifying for their event, contending and showing how good you are? 

Gooch has become an unexpected content machine since his move to LIV. An incomplete list of some of his best:

—He was part of an initial lawsuit against the PGA Tour in 2022, which he hoped would result in him being able to play the FedEx Cup playoffs. It was unsuccessful
—He said he didn't know the PGA Tour would actually suspend him for his move to LIV
—He said at one of the first LIV events that the atmosphere was similar to that of the Ryder Cup
—The Rory asterisk comments
—Now, this.