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Initially thinking that he had qualified for the upcoming US Open in June, Talor Gooch has now revealed that he is probably out of the event after the USGA changed its exemption criteria.
Gooch qualified for the Tour Championship last season and was expecting to make it to the third major of the year, but his switch to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf last year meant he was banned from all PGA Tour events, including the East Lake event.
The USGA has made it clear that one must be eligible to play in the Tour Championship to compete at the Los Angeles Country Club in June. This would mean that the 29-year-old will not make it to the event.
Gooch revealed on The 73rd Hole Podcast that he was yet to receive an invitation to the upcoming PGA Championship but was still hopeful of making it to the event.
He told the 73rd Hole Podcast as per Golf Monthly:
"I was hopeful after Augusta came out and announced their field – they announced that I was in the field via my world ranking but also via qualifying for the PGA Tour Championship."
"Obviously, I was suspended from the [PGA]tour and wasn’t able to play but my body of work for the season, up to being banned from the tour, was good enough to get me into the Tour Championship and so I was glad that Augusta recognised that because, historically, up until this last year, if you make it to the Tour Championship, it gets you into The Masters, the US Open and the British Open."
He added that he was optimistic that other majors would also follow The Masters. The LIV Golf Adelaide winner played at The Masters earlier this month where he finished T-34.
"Time will tell on that" - Talor Gooch hopes his rankings remain high enough to make it to the US Open
Talor Gooch is now left with not many options as his hopes of making it to the US Open look slim. He knows he can do this either by holding his rankings or through regional tours.
He told the 73rd Hole Podcast quoted via Golf Monthly:
"Basically the rule now within the USGA states that you have to qualify for the Tour Championship and also be eligible to play. That was obviously disappointing because that change in the rule only affected one person, which was me, so that was frustrating and tough.
"With LIV still not being rewarded with world ranking points, I have only two options of qualifying for the US Open and that’s via my world ranking, which is going to be very challenging, or trying to obviously go through the qualifying route of sectional qualifying."
The 29-year-old added that he was still hopeful of making it to the US Open.
"I’m hopeful that my ranking stays high enough for the next month that I get in. Time will tell on that."
Gooch is scheduled to play at LIV Golf's Singapore event that begins on Friday, April 27.
