LIV Golf’s Talor Gooch says Rory McIlroy’s possible Masters win will have an ‘asterisk’ beside it

Rory McIlroy could finally complete his Career Grand Slam at the Augusta Masters this year. According to several pundits, the Northern Irishman is a favorite to win his fifth Major championship. However, LIV Golf’s 2023 individual champion Talor Gooch doesn’t think so positively about it.

Gooch is yet to get a Masters invitation. Despite being a top name on the Saudi-backed series, the 32-year-old is ranked No. 427 in the world. Disappointed by the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR)’s treatment of his series, the golfer has now claimed that McIlroy’s possible Masters win this year will have an ‘asterisk’ beside it as it will be won without several of the world’s top players on the field.

Openly slamming Augusta National’s qualification system, Talor Gooch was quoted as saying by Australian Golf Digest:

“If Rory McIlroy goes and completes his [Career] Grand Slam without some of the best players in the world, 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.”

It is pertinent to note that OWGR doesn’t award ranking points to LIV Golf events. Owing to this, Gooch is unlikely to enter the Augusta National event field. Meanwhile, he addressed Chilean golfer Joaquin Niemann getting an invite to the Major and said that he hopes the qualification system sees some changes soon.

Adding that he wasn’t expecting a Masters invitation, Gooch said:

“It’s not surprising. I think the Majors have kind of shown that they’re not getting on board with LIV. ‘Jaco’ went outside of LIV and played some great golf and they rewarded him for that. So hopefully the day will turn when the majors decide to start rewarding good play on LIV. Hopefully, that’ll be sooner than later.”

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Joaquin Niemann gets special invitation to the Masters

Talor Gooch’s comment comes just days after the Augusta National Golf Club issued three special invitations for April’s Masters. Joaquin Niemann, who won the ISPS Handa Australian Open in December, received one of the invitations along with Ryo Hisatsune and Thorbjorn Olesen. The Chilean golfer accepted it as well.

It is pertinent to note that Niemann was snubbed by Augusta last year. The golfer failed to land an invitation despite winning thrice in the LIV Golf League. Following this, the player openly talked about the flawed system and said that he was adamant about playing in the prestigious Major. The World No.72 golfer was awarded with an invitation last week.

Responding to getting the Masters invite, Niemann said:

“Yeah, it was exciting. I’m focused on right now and to keep doing better. It’s another week where I can prove that.”

It is pertinent to note that Niemann started the 2024 LIV Golf schedule with a win. The 25-year-old claimed victory at the LIV Golf Mayakoba event, beating Sergio Garcia in a playoff. With his current form, it’ll be interesting to see how the Chilean fares in the Major championship.