American golfer Talor Gooch has frustrated a fellow professional on the PGA Tour so much that they reportedly want "to punch him in the face".
Gooch, who has two professional wins to his name, joined the LIV Golf series ahead of its inaugural event and appears to have recently annoyed PGA Tour members. The Oklahoma native, who was part of the winning team at the latest LIV event in Chicago, recently compared the atmosphere at the Portland tournament to that of the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup.
After a fourth consecutive team victory in the series at Chicago this week, he stoked tensions further by posting an Instagram video of celebrations with the caption: “Another one for the good guys", in what was an apparent dig at Shane Lowry following his comments after winning the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
And a PGA Tour rival was recently asked about Gooch by Fire Pit Collective's Alan Shipnuck , and speaking anonymously they said: “He always seemed like a nice guy, but now I just want to punch him in the face."
When asked to put his name to the quote, the player replied: “I want to because the guys out here would love it, but I don’t need all the noise that would come with that.”
The 'one for the good guys' comment by Gooch was a jibe at Lowry who blasted Gooch and other LIV Golf rebels who competed in the DP World Tour event at Wentworth earlier this month.
Lowry was delighted to beat the LIV Golf participants in the competition and afterwards he said: "I wanted to go out and win this tournament for myself, first and foremost, but also for this tour and everyone that’s stayed loyal to this tour. I feel like this is one for the good guys.”
Gooch was also won of three LIV Golf rebels who had their legal bid to play in the FedEX Cup playoffs dismissed by a judge. The American has previously felt the wrath of PGA Tour professionals who attended The Open, who took exception to his comments referring the LIV Golf atmosphere to that found at the Ryder Cup.
"Give me a little break. I just won," said Gooch. "I was in the moment. I might have gotten a little aggressive with the comments. We were pumped.
"Rightfully so, I've taken a little bit of heat for it. We've caught a lot of flack for what we've done here recently. Everybody, it feels like, is against us, and that's okay. It's banded us together, I think.”
