Did Talor Gooch DESERVE his invite into PGA Championship? 

Word is that it was actually Rory who called the PGA board and said: “you got to invite Gooch because when I win I don’t want any * on my win”

Even though you might be right, that OWGR do not reflect where each players should be ranked. It is hard to compare LIV wins to PGA wins. The field is a lot smaller, there is no cut and there is a team aspect which influences how everybody plays. Also there is nothing at stake for the individual player. LIV events are designed as exhibition events and not as competetive events. Not saying there is nobody competing on LIV but it is so different by design, a win on LIV is not comparable the slightes to a win on the PGA tour. Not taking anything away from any winner at LIV but it is a very different achievement. To be clear, the main objectives on a PGA event is to: (1) Make the cut (2) Win individually The main objectives on a LIV event: (1) Show up to play (2)Win as a team (3)Win individually (you might switch (2) and (3) but the order does not really matter)

I think either way it solves the debate. Now he has to put up or shut up. Simple.

Data golf is basically just strokes gained against the field over the last 100 odd rounds with more weight on recent rounds and an adjustment based on field strength (based on their own SG data not OWGR), they dont care about positions on leaderboard

Squeaky wheel gets the oil. Could of invited a lot of different players that would have got more viewers and interest.

Brilliant video.

I truly believe in the statement that “You are what your record says you are”, and the LIV tour players cannot possibly be rated against PGA Tour players. I’m not saying that they lost their golf skills when they went to LIV, but Golf is a perishable skill and you will lose your edge by playing against an inferior field. LIV, in my opinion is infereior for the following reasons: 1) In golf, you play against your fellow golfers and the against the difficulty of the course. Look at the Masters this year, Rahm and DJ were an afterthought, DeChambeau played well in the beginning but collapsed at the end. PGA Courses are set up way harder than LIV Courses which I feel are set up easier to try and attract viewers (same as juiced baseballs). Since the players are used to this, when they go on a PGA Tour course, they do not play as well. 2) The field of golfers is artificial. Nobody on the LIV Tour ‘earned’ their way in, they were hired by a set group of business people that are interested in their name brand. The next hot golfer in the world will not earn their place on LIV, they will be hired. That doesn’t make them the best, that makes them an employee. 3) The tournaments allow for poor play without penalty. On the PGA you play well or you are history on Friday night. Rahm didn’t make the cut at the Masters of the PGA Championship. If that had been a LIV tournament he could have thrown up a ridiculous third round and still either won or placed. There is a school of thought that says this makes LIV more legitamate because a good player can still come back, but you are also having the advantage of a shotgun start where you may have a more favorable stretch of holes to play based on your starting hole. Bottom line is that you are not being measured the same as the other golfers and it introduces an element of luck that is not present on the PGA tour. 4) OWGR is not perfect, but there will never be perfect. I believe it is unreasonable to rank LIV against PGA on an even footing. You may disagree, but the results speak for themselves. The longer LIV tour players are away from the PGA, the poorer they fare when coming back. Even on the PGA, players rise and fall (Jason Day is a good example). It doesn’t mean they couldn’t still kick my butt all over the course, but it does mean that the PGA players are sharper and play at an elevated level. Sure, Koepka can come back and win a Major, but is that an outlier? These guys play at a level where the diffence between winnning and losing is 1 stroke over a four round tournament. LIV just doesn’t keep them as sharp and/or focused as the PGA players. Rant over, have a nice day…..

Nope but lets see if he can make the cut!

Liv boys will show up ,in a field fill of pga players ,

He earned it, He deserves it. He's the Current LIV Champion for 2023. Should be an automatic entry into the next years PGA...

No Roman numeral player is entitled to any gift from any of the championships!!!

Interesting as Guy's POV has moved to understand that the BEST players arent the best just because they are a member of the PGA. Fiercely obvious that OWGR is JUST a bit skewed.

Is it the “strongest field” if you’re pulling talent from a 54 hole tour? There’s like 3-4 guys who are legit in LIV. Most of them already have invites or exemptions for being past major winners.

I think the more important question is when are the majors going to change their selection/qualifying process seeing as there are now 2 major golf tours(and no the DP is not major its like the corn ferry tour in my opinion). We need the best players at the majors simple, you want the players that have played the best in the last 12 months and thats I assume why Gooch has got in, then there will be the whole fan favourites/advertising/marketing players like Tiger getting invites. We just want to see the best event possible regardless of what tour they play on.

Yes it is a good thing he deserves to he there

Id rather see an invite go to a player who supports the pga tour

What an unfortunate last name lol

I’m pleased to see Gouch in the field, he has dominated his fair share of LIV events.

Of course he did ! He’ll beat most of the field!

Ridiculous invitation. He simply made his choice and doesn’t qualify. Let him play his tour. If it’s so “legit”, come up with their own “majors”.

I believe that the ratings for all golf tournaments have started to slump due to the best players not being in the field. OWGR doesn't mean anything these days. If I go to a major I want to see Rory, DJ, Koepka, Tiger, Sergio, etc. I want to see all of the great players. Who are the great / best players? Get rid of the OWGR and then try to answer that question. Thx Rick. Best golf related pod out there.

Yes, next question.

Won 3 times in the last year against a field full of major winners = hmm I'm not sure if he is good enough for the majors. The bias is ridiculous.

Rick I know you just didn't say that talor Gooch hasn't won this year Buddy's had three top 10 finishes and won the overall last year 3 times individually mate it's early in the season Taylor Gooch absolutely absolutely deserves to be there

How does Guy have no understanding that a tour pro can't rock up to a qualifier to get into the PGA Championship ? Pretty amazing ignorance for a guy blabbing on a golf podcast

Rank of over 600 is a joke. Every player in liv has got a rank that is a joke. People are still bitter about liv players but he is a great player and bet he does well