27 February 2024 , 14:53
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Rory McIlroy is still dreaming of securing his final major title at The Masters - but LIV Golf champion Talor Gooch believes victory this year would have an ‘asterisk’.
While fans will wait to see narratives unfolding around Tiger Woods’ fitness and Jon Rahm ’s hopes of successfully defending his title at Augusta, many will focus on McIlroy’s continued quest to complete the career grand slam. The Masters is the final major title eluding the Northern Irishman’s grasp.
He is hoping to finally win the coveted Green Jacket this year, but Gooch believes a win this year would be marred by a lack of the top LIV Golf stars present. Gooch is the reigning 2023 LIV Golf’s individual champion but he was denied a Masters invitation.
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Despite winning three times on last year’s LIV Golf circuit where he beat the likes of Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson in the season-long points race, Gooch will not compete at Augusta. The American is clearly frustrated by the decision and suggested the 2024 Masters will ultimately have an ‘asterisk’ due to his omission.
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“If Rory Mcllroy goes and completes his Grand Slam without some of the best players in the world, there's just going to be an asterisk,” Gooch said. “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.”
Gooch’s comments, while defending LIV Golf, are interesting given the likes of Rahm, Smith, Johnson, DeChambeau and will compete at Augusta alongside Phil Mickelson, Joaquin Niemann, Adrian Meronk, Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed and new signing Tyrrell Hatton.
Talor Gooch has been left frustrated by the decision to exclude him from this year's Masters tournament (Getty Images)Despite their differences and rivalry amid the divide in golf between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, commissioner Greg Norman said he would not wait to praise or congratulate McIlroy if he won the Masters. Norman finished runner-up at the iconic tournament on three occasions and understands just how difficult it is to succeed at Augusta.
“One thing I do is I take emotion out of everything,” Norman said, per Australian Golf Digest. “I’m very good at that. I don’t bring emotion into business. I don’t bring emotion into anything. If you do, I think that shows the weakness of an individual.
“When Rory missed out on the (2011) Masters when he hit that wayward tee shot on 10, I sent him a message of support afterward because I felt his pain, and he responded. And if Rory wins this year’s Masters, I’ll say congratulations on achieving the grand slam, right? That’s sport and that’s sportsmanship, and that’s the humility of the game. That’s me. That’s how I would do it.”
The 2024 Masters will run from 11 April to 14 April.