Talor Gooch’s prolific winning form in the LIV Golf League should be enough to “definitely” make the USA Ryder Cup team, according to Bubba Watson.
Two-time Masters champion Watson is Gooch’s team captain with the Range Goats in LIV Golf, and he believes his fellow American is playing well enough to get one of Zach Johnson’s six picks for Rome.
Gooch is the only three-time LIV Golf tournament winner after claiming the trophy at Valderrama last week, and is again among the favourites for this week’s event at Centurion.
The 31-year-old is being talked about as a possible Ryder Cup rookie for America, and Watson says that alongside the resurgent Rickie Fowler, Gooch should be a captain’s pick.
“Well, he has to be – gosh, I don’t know where Rickie Fowler is on the Ryder Cup standings, but he’s got to be up there, too,” Watson said of Gooch.
“But I would have to say those two have been the impressive ones the last few weeks, just their high finishes and how they’ve been playing pretty much all year.
“If they’re not already – if Rickie is not already in in points, he’s definitely getting a pick, and Talor should definitely get a pick. He’s playing that well, and he plays really good outside the US.”
Watson added that Gooch is very much a quiet man on his team, and just enjoys having his family with him while out playing golf.
“You know what, he’s so quiet, he’s so to himself. But having his family travel with him, being able to spend a lot of time with his family, being able to spend time with his young one, his in-laws, he’s just down to earth, and he’s just focused on the next shot,” Watson added. “He’s just been grinding out.
“Solid player, we’ve all known that, and for him to quietly jump ship out of nowhere to come over here because he loves team golf, it was cool to see.”
Due to LIV Golf not receiving ranking points and Gooch not playing in PGA Tour events, he won’t qualify through the USA Ryder Cup standings.
Like Brooks Koepka, who seems certain to qualify, and Dustin Johnson, who will be a big candidate for a pick, LIV players remain eligible for Ryder Cup selection.
For Gooch himself, he just wants to keep playing well to press his claims to be on the plane to Marco Simone Golf Club in September.
“The better I play, the more that is just going to be a discussion hopefully,” Gooch said after winning in Spain.
“I’ve got to go win, and I’ve got to go prove that I’m worthy of having a discussion about.”
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