Despite His $30M Final Laugh, LIV Golf’s Biggest Star Talor Gooch Faces a Massive 2024 Tragedy Amid OWGR Controversies

All eyes turned toward the thrilling conclusion of the LIV Golf Jeddah tournament’s third and final round this past Sunday. Brooks Koepka emerged as the victor, seizing the lion’s share of the monumental $25 million prize pool after a playoff hole. Yet, amid the excitement, the spotlight found another prominent golfer, Talor Gooch, who narrowly missed out on victory against his American counterpart at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club.

While Gooch may have settled for the runner-up position in this competition, he didn’t leave empty-handed. The golfer clinched a staggering $18 million in earnings and secured the title of the season-long champion for 2023. Nevertheless, despite his impressive performance against Koepka, Gooch’s journey is marred by a looming tragedy that awaits him in 2024.

The dramatic showdown between Gooch and Koepka concluded with the latter lifting the coveted trophy. Gooch’s tenacity, however, propelled him to outperform notable competitors like Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau, earning him the season-long points race title and a substantial $18 million prize. In total, his earnings for 2023 soared past the remarkable $30 million mark. But Gooch’s story takes an unexpected turn heading into the upcoming year.

At just 31 years of age, Gooch has already claimed victory in three events within the Saudi-backed league, triumphing in Adelaide, Singapore, and Spain. Despite these impressive wins, the American golfer faces an unexpected challenge in 2024: he is not exempt from participating in any of the major tournaments.

This predicament has sparked a fervent debate on social media, with a tweet criticizing the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and its recent decisions, urging a shift toward direct qualification based on tournament performance and order of merit standings. The tweet also emphasized the importance of having the strongest fields in golf, regardless of where players compete.

The OWGR’s stance on LIV Golf events has been contentious. Peter Dawson, chairman of the OWGR board, conveyed the board’s unanimous decision to withhold awarding points to the PIF-funded league. The decision was influenced by the format divergence of the league from the traditional 72-hole system and its limited promotion and relegation opportunities for players.

The impact of this ruling was significant, as it left many professionals in the Middle Eastern circuit struggling to secure spots in traditional tournaments that rely on the OWGR points system, including major championships. The hope remains that things may become more amicable once details of the merger are finalized.