Phil Mickelson criticizes USGA boss after US Open waiver rule change alters Talor Gooch’s status
Talor Gooch’s status for the 2023 US Open in June at the Los Angeles Country Club is uncertain due to a USGA rule change regarding exemptions affecting LIV golfers for the event in evaluation process and six-time major champion and fellow LIV golfer Phil Mickelson wasn’t happy. Mickelson, exempted from the US Open after winning the 2021 PGA championship, scrutinized the USGA and its CEO, Mike Whan, on social media on Friday.
While Gooch qualified for the Tour Championship, he was ineligible to play at East Lake due to his defection from the PGA Tour to the LIV. The USGA later ruled that both qualification and eligibility for Tour Championship is necessary for a player to be exempt from the US Open based on that event alone. Gooch later told the 73rd Hole podcast that the rule change caught him off guard.
Golfweek report a USGA spokesman, via email, wrote, “the change was not implemented retroactively, but was part of our annual review process and was included in a number of other changes made now for the criteria for the upcoming 2023 [U.S. Open] championship.” However, that explanation wasn’t enough for Mickelson, who staunchly defended Gooch on social media while criticizing the USGA.
Gooch, who became LIV Golf’s first consecutive winner in April, 60th in the Official World Golf Ranking. The top 60 players as of both May 22 and June 12 are exempt from the field, which keeps him on the shortlist should he maintain or improve his ranking against either. that day.
However, LIV Golf’s placement does not currently lead to Official World Golf Ranking scores for participating players. That means Gooch’s only chance to earn points before the US Open is during the second major tournament of the season: the 2023 PGA Championship later this month at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York. Gooch ended in a draw on May 20 of last year when the event was held at the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
