Talor Gooch is a RangeGoat during his day job. At night, he runs with the bulls.
Talor Gooch is a RangeGoat during his day job. At night, he runs with the bulls.
Gooch’s FJS Ventures and Professional Bull Riders announced Friday the Oklahoma Wildcatters will join PBR Teams, a league featuring the world’s top bull riders. Gooch, the 2023 LIV Golf Player of the Year and Oklahoma native, alongside Preston Lyon, CEO/President of Lyon Sports Group, formed FJS Ventures to invest, operate and/or own sports properties. The Oklahoma Wildcatters is the company’s first business venture.
“Bringing a bull riding team back to Oklahoma where we intend to build a championship-caliber team in the state I love is a dream come true,” Gooch said in a release. “I’ve always been a PBR fan. Team competition makes the sport even more exciting, generates coverage, and creates rabid local fan bases. I’m very excited to join a successful and experienced ownership group working toward growing a sport with vast potential.”
The Wildcatters’ roster will take shape when up to six riders will be selected in the 2024 Expansion Draft, which is scheduled for early April in New York. Unrestricted free agency will open following the expansion draft. Additional riders will fill out the roster when the 2024 New Rider Draft takes place.
Oklahoma’s previous PBR team, the Freedom, moved to Florida after the 2023 season.
“When the Freedom relocated to Florida, our priority as a league was to make sure we would be able to serve the incredible fans in Oklahoma with a team,” said Sean Gleason, CEO and commissioner of PBR. “We’re fortunate that Oklahoma royalty in Talor Gooch stepped in to launch a local team for the long haul. Talor is a proven winner set to build something special for fans.”
The 2024 PBR Camping World Team Series’ 12-event regular season begins on July 12 in Oklahoma City, hosted by the Oklahoma Wildcatters, and culminates with its championship at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Oct. 17-20).
His biggest criticism of the Saudi Arabian-backed league was LIV’s main selling point – aside from the astronomical money offered – its format.
“To be honest, part of the (LIV) format is not really appealing to me. Shotgun three days to me is not a golf tournament, no cut. It’s that simple,” Rahm said at the 2022 U.S. Open. “I want to play against the best in the world in a format that’s been going on for hundreds of years. That’s what I want to see.”
While speaking to reporters ahead of last Thursday’s announcement, Rahm said he was “hopeful that the leaders of LIV Golf might listen to some of my advice and maybe see some changes in the future for the better of the game.”
The 29-year-old Spaniard was rather coy during the Zoom conference talking about the league’s future and hinted at potential changes in the works. But how would a switch to 72 holes and the addition of a cut sit with LIV players? Depends on who you ask.
“(Rahm) has been vocal about some stuff he didn’t love but he wouldn’t have come to LIV if he thought he was going to win 10 tournaments a year and have no competition,” Talor Gooch told Golf Digest. “He’s a true competitor. It’s beyond exciting [to have Rahm].”
“We haven’t had an open forum discussion with all the players,” said Gooch, LIV’s 2023 individual champion who was recently traded from Bubba Watson’s RangeGoats GC to Brooks Koepka’s Smash GC for Matthew Wolff. “But you get both sides … guys who would welcome (changing to 72 holes) and some guys who are opposed to it. Discussions will be had and it’ll be interesting to see what comes of it.
“I think LIV Golf was meant to be something different; I think it’s not supposed to be a carbon copy of the rest of professional golf. I lean towards keeping it at 54 holes. Part of it, too, from my experience on the PGA Tour, was Thursdays are just irrelevant from a fan perspective (except for) only a couple times a year.”
If you’ve been to a LIV event, the same can be said for Friday and even some Saturday rounds.
Over its first two years, LIV officials often used the analogy that the league was building the plane while it was in the air. The league prides itself on being player-friendly with its fan-free pro-am rounds, press conferences with upwards of four players and a day’s less work for even more pay compared to the Tour. Unlike the PGA Tour, LIV can pivot and be flexible with how it operates.
The issue is, the players in the league now signed up for 54 holes and no cut. If its format is the price to pay for a star like Rahm, that may be enough. Time will tell.
Bubba Watson also traded away his two best players after the entire roster was set to return in 2024.
If the relationship between former LIV Golf teammates Brooks Koepka and Matthew Wolff was a marriage, the two had been separated for months with a divorce in the works. On Thursday morning the Smash GC split was finalized.
Koepka traded Wolff to Bubba Watson’s RangeGoats GC for 2023 individual champion Talor Gooch, who will play for his third team in three years. Watson also traded Harold Varner III to Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces GC for Peter Uihlein. That means the RangeGoats, who finished runner-up at the 2023 team championship, have now traded their top two players from last season, who finished first (Gooch) and seventh (Varner) in the season-long standings. Uihlein was 12th and Wolff 27th.
After Pat Perez was re-signed last month, the trio of Johnson, Varner and Patrick Reed will make the 4Aces a favorite once again in 2024. The one-two punch of Koepka and Gooch on Smash might be the best in the league. Jason Kokrak is a solid third and the team still has a spot to fill after Chase Koepka was relegated. The RangeGoats were one of four teams set to return their entire squad for 2024 before Watson traded away his two best players. A foursome of Watson, Uihlein, Wolff and Thomas Pieters is, on paper at least, a step-down.
This week also marks the beginning of the inaugural LIV Golf Promotions event, held Dec. 8-10 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club which will see the top three players earn status on a team for the 2024 season.
The final PGA Tour money list for 2023 is a direct result of LIV forcing the Tour to increase purses.
Whatever the future of LIV Golf, whether an agreement is reached to partner with the PGA Tour or the Saudi-backed league remains separate and continues to play nemesis and antagonist to the tour, the mark has been made.
The final numbers on the PGA Tour money list for 2023 are a direct result of LIV forcing the Tour to increase purses and find more avenues for its players to boost income. Those increases across the board have the tour’s top earners surpassing their LIV counterparts when it comes to prize money.
Of course, the biggest payday for most of those who defected from the PGA Tour to LIV was the initial contract, or signing bonus. This includes a handful of players such as Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Cam Smith whose contracts exceeded $100 million.
Meanwhile, the PGA Tour handed out more than $560 million in prize money in 2023, including $100 million for the Player Impact Program and $75 million for the Tour Championship. The PIP money goes to the top 20 players who boosted engagement and publicity for the tour.
LIV’s total purse increased to $405 million in Year 2 of its existence. LIV’s purse includes $115 million in team prize money and $30 million split between the top three in the seasonlong individual race.
The LIV schedule includes 14 events compared to 38 on the PGA Tour. Still, the top earners on Tour play around 20 events, some as few as 18, others 23. LIV golfers who qualify for the four majors play at least 18 events. And every golfer enters a handful of tournaments on other tours.
LIV certainly got the attention of the PGA Tour with its massive contracts and increased purses, forcing the tour to dramatically up its prize money game. The Tour’s total prize money has risen substantially since 2021 when it was just under $400 million.
While the threat of more players defecting to LIV certainly played a factor, that money had to come from somewhere. Besides leaning on sponsors to help with the eight signature events with $20 million purses, the Tour received an infusion of money with nine-year media deals with CBS, NBC and ESPN that started in 2022.
The 2023 money list was finalized after distributing the PIP money. The top 10 made about $220 million combined compared with LIV’s top 10, who earned approximately $147 million in prize money.
LIV’s totals include each individual’s slice from the season-ending $50 million team event at Doral, but not the $5 million awarded to the top three teams in each of the other 13 events. The captains of each team determine how much of that money goes to the four players and how much goes into the team pot for operating fees.
PGA Tour (led by Hovland) vs. LIV Golf (led by Gooch)
Viktor Hovland celebrates with the FedEx Cup after winning the 2023 Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. (Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Viktor Hovland topped the PGA Tour money list this year, bringing in $37.1 million, about $1 million more than LIV’s biggest earner, Talor Gooch.
Hovland’s breakdown was $14.1 from tournament winnings, $18 million for winning the FedEx Cup and $5 million for the PIP.
Gooch won $17.3 million over 14 events, plus $18 million for capturing the individual title and $800,000 for his share from the team competition at Doral. Gooch was a member of RangeGoats, which finished second.
Hovland was followed by Rory McIlroy, who earned $32.9 million, $15 million coming from winning the PIP’s top prize; Scottie Scheffler, who made a tour-record $21 million before bonuses brought his total to $29 million; Jon Rahm at $26.2 million, including $16.2 million on tour and $9 million from the PIP; and Xander Schauffele at $17.9 million.
The top five earners on LIV this year were Gooch, Smith ($23.2 million), Koepka ($17.7 million), DeChambeau ($14.7 million) and Harold Varner III ($9.9 million).
Smith pocketed $8 million as runner-up in the individual race behind Gooch. Koepka placed third, taking home the $4 million bonus.
Hovland, Scheffler and Schauffele each made 23 starts on the PGA Tour, Rahm played in 20 tour events and McIlroy 18.
Smith, Koepka and DeChambeau played 14 LIV events and four majors each. Gooch qualified for three majors and Varner was in two.
Koepka was LIV’s top earner among those who played in the majors, making $5.1 million, including $3.15 million for winning the PGA Championship.
In 2023 the players and fans were both winners and losers.
Ask anyone who works for LIV Golf and they’ll tell you all eyes are on 2024 and beyond now that another season is in the books.
Following its inaugural eight-event series in 2022, this year marked the debut of the rebranded LIV Golf League, which saw the upstart circuit led by Greg Norman and backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund host 14 events around the world, from Mayakoba to Jeddah. The league didn’t quite dominate as much of the conversation in 2023 as it did last year, but still held down (and even expanded in some places) its footing in golf’s larger ecosystem.
As the league transitions into what could make for a busy offseason, let’s take a look back at the biggest winners and losers from LIV Golf’s second season.
Gooch won three events this season to finish atop LIV’s season-long points list.
Talor Gooch made 123 starts on the PGA Tour, picked up one win and earned $9,250,299.
On Sunday he nearly doubled that amount in Saudi Arabia at LIV Golf Jeddah.
The 31-year-old claimed the 2023 LIV Golf League individual title, a season-long points race similar to that of the FedEx Cup. Gooch surpassed Cameron Smith and held off Bryson DeChambeau, the only two other players who had a chance to win the lucrative bonus, and will take home the $18 million prize.
Gooch and Brooks Koepka went to a playoff Sunday at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City, where Koepka won after two extra holes. The playoff outcome didn’t matter, however, as Gooch had already secured the individual title regardless of the outcome.
Dustin Johnson was the individual champion in LIV’s inaugural eight-event season last year, where he already had the title locked up before the final regular-season event.
Across 13 events this season Gooch has won three times and picked up five top-10 finishes worth $15,137,066 in individual earnings.
LIV’s season will come to a close next week as it hosts the Team Championship finale at Trump National Doral in Miami, Oct. 20-22.
Koepka is a two-time winner this season on the Saudi-backed circuit and three-time winner overall.
Brooks Koepka loves playing golf in Saudi Arabia.
The five-time major champion defended his title at 2023 LIV Golf Jeddah at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City with a playoff victory over Talor Gooch, who claimed the lucrative season-long individual title. The win is the third of Koepka’s LIV career and second of the season following his victory in Orlando before the Masters in April.
Harold Varner III finished third at 12 under.
Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs GC claimed the team title in Saudi at 34 under ($3 million), three shots clear of Bubba Watson’s RangeGoats GC ($1.5 million) and five clear of Martin Kaymer’s Cleeks GC ($500,000). The win is the second of the season for the Fireballs.
A lot is on the line at LIV Golf’s regular-season finale in the Kingdom.
The LIV Golf League returns to action this week with the final event of its regular season in Saudi Arabia, where tens of millions of dollars, first-round byes and future eligibility are all on the line.
At the end of LIV Golf Jeddah, once again held at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City, the season-long individual champion will be decided and the winner will take home the lucrative $18 million top prize. Dustin Johnson won the individual title a week before last year’s season finale, but this year’s race is much closer with three players in the mix: Cam Smith, Talor Gooch and Bryson DeChambeau.
Here’s a rundown of what’s on the line this week at LIV Golf Jeddah.
The Saudi-backed circuit returns after over a month off.
The LIV Golf League returns this week to Chicago for its 12th event of the season. The Saudi-backed circuit has been off for a bit, with its last event coming over a month ago at Trump Bedminster in New Jersey — Cameron Smith claimed the individual title by seven shots while his team, Ripper GC, won the team competition.
With just the Chicago and Jeddah stops before the Team Championship in Miami, 4Aces GC leads the team point standings with Torque GC in second and Stinger GC in third. On the individual side, Smith leads the way followed by Talor Gooch and Patrick Reed.
Here are some of the best images from the week in Chicago.
It wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for the creation of LIV Golf last year but Sunday turned out to be a huge day for former Oklahoma State golfers.
Taking it all in was Ponte Vedra Beach resident Bob Dickson, one of the players from OSU who helped lay the groundwork for a steady stream of Cowboys who have lassoed trophies and titles in professional golf since the 1960s.
“I loved it … a couple of ‘Pokes winning the same day makes us all very proud,” said Dickson, who won twice on the PGA Tour and once on the PGA Tour Champions with a career on the PGA Tour executive staff in between.
Talor Gooch celebrates after winning the 2023 LIV Golf Andalucia at Real Club Valderrama in Cadiz, Spain. (Photo: Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
Fowler birdied No. 18 in regulation to earn a playoff with Adam Hadwin and Collin Morikawa, and then birdied the 18th again on a 12-foot putt.
Gooch became the first three-time winner of LIV Golf events when he rolled in a 15-footer for birdie to beat Bryson DeChambeau by one shot.
Oklahoma State players have won eight tournaments on the two Tours combined this season.
In addition to Fowler’s victory last week and Gooch’s three LIV titles, Wyndham Clark won the U.S. Open and the Wells Fargo Championship, Viktor Hovland won The Memorial and Charles Howell III won the opening LIV event of the season in Mexico.
Dickson is taking it all in with pride. He played for the Cowboys from 1964-1966 under Labron Harris Sr., and posted victories in the U.S. and British Amateurs during that time.
Bob Dickson won the U.S. and British Amateurs while playing college golf at Oklahoma State, and went on to win on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. (Provided photo)
Players such as Dickson, Labron Harris Jr., Danny and David Edwards and Dave Eichelberger begot Bob Tway and Scott Verplank. Then Howell and Hunter Mahan came along, who handed the baton to the likes of Fowler, Clark, Kevin Tway, Gooch, Hovland and Peter Uihlein.
“The golf culture at Oklahoma State has been very good for decades, a really good golf history,” Dickson said. “I’m really proud of these Cowboys.”
Fowler, Hovland and Clark, the PGA Tour winners from Oklahoma State this season, have combined for four victories, 22 top-10s and more than $28 million in earnings this season. Austin Eckroat seems poised to join them and had a runner-up finish at the Byron Nelson in April.
Clark is fourth on the FedEx Cup standings, Hovland sixth and Fowler eighth.
Cowboys on LIV Golf, Gooch, Howell, Uihlein and Matthew Wolff, have combined for three victories, nine top-10s and more than $32 million in earnings. Gooch leads LIV Golf’s points list, with Uihlein seventh and Howell 10th.
