A LIV Golf player has lost his place in the 2025 Open Championship in what many are calling a harsh but inevitable consequence of his decision to join the breakaway league.
Talor Gooch, one of the more outspoken players to defect to LIV Golf, has not received an exemption or invitation to this year’s Open at Royal Portrush, despite previously being ranked among the top 50 players in the world and posting strong performances on the LIV circuit. With no official world ranking points awarded for LIV events, Gooch’s standing has plummeted, leaving him outside the qualification criteria for major championships.
The decision not to include Gooch highlights the growing divide between traditional golf institutions and LIV players, many of whom now find themselves on the outside looking in when it comes to golf’s most prestigious events. The R&A, like the USGA and PGA of America, has maintained strict qualification policies based on world rankings and established exemption categories — areas where LIV players are increasingly at a disadvantage.
Gooch had previously expressed confidence that his performances in LIV would speak for themselves, but the lack of ranking points has significantly limited his chances of earning entry through conventional means. Despite attempts to qualify through other routes, he failed to secure a spot at Royal Portrush.
The 2025 Open marks another major championship that LIV players have either struggled to reach or been left out of entirely, fueling ongoing debate about whether the governing bodies should reassess their stance on eligibility criteria in a changing golf landscape.
For now, Gooch and others in a similar position will watch from the sidelines as the best in the world compete in Northern Ireland, a stark reminder of what has been lost in the pursuit of LIV’s alternative vision of professional golf.
