The reigning LIV Golf League individual champion Talor Gooch has received an invite to the US PGA Championship at Valhalla in an interesting move for golf.
Gooch has received an invitation from the PGA of America, who have invited the American based exclusively on his LIV Golf results. He was not invited to the Masters in April and was denied access to the US Open last year on a technicality.
The American picked up a total of $39.5m from the 2023 LIV Golf individual competition, including a bonus of $18m for topping the solo ranks at the end of the season.
He will be joined from the Saudi Arabia-backed breakaway league by defending US PGA champion Brooks Koepka, high-flying South American Joaquin Niemann and 22-year-old Spaniard David Puig.
LIV Golf chief Greg Norman said: “The only influence is the success of LIV, our players, our penetration/acceptance and our platform. The players deserve the respect and should have received it from day one.”
South African Dean Burmester, Adrian Meronk, Lucas Herbert and former Masters champion Patrick Reed will also be at Valhalla next weekend.
Last 10 US PGA winners
| Year | Nationality | Winner | Course | Score |
| 2023 | United States | Brooks Koepka | Oak Hill, East Course | −9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | United States | Justin Thomas | Southern Hills | −5 |
| 2021 | United States | Phil Mickelson | Kiawah Island Golf Resort, The Ocean Course | −6 |
| 2020 | United States | Collin Morikawa | TPC Harding Park | −13 |
| 2019 | United States | Brooks Koepka | Bethpage Black Course | −8 |
| 2018 | United States | Brooks Koepka | Bellerive Country Club | −16 |
| 2017 | United States | Justin Thomas | Quail Hollow Club | −8 |
| 2016 | United States | Jimmy Walker | Baltusrol Golf Club, Lower Course | −14 |
| 2015 | Australia | Jason Day | Whistling Straits, Straits Course | −20 |
| 2014 | N. Ireland | Rory McIlroy | Valhalla Golf Club | −16 |
