Talor Gooch’s LIV Andalucia win had extra meaning

Talor Gooch collected LIV Golf trophies early and often during the beginning stages of the breakaway league’s existence. He won three times during the 2023 season, hoisting trophies in Adelaide, Singapore and Spain.

But Gooch didn’t win in 2024, and that drought extended deep into 2025. He arrived at LIV Andalucia at Valderrama this week with just two top-10 finishes on the season. His subpar play meant he was unable to try to take advantage of LIV’s pathway into the U.S. Open and the Open Championship.

With only a few events left on the LIV calendar, the 2025 season was in danger of being a lost year for Gooch. But the 33-year-old played steady golf on Day 1 of LIV Andalucia and made seven birdies in the second round to take a four-shot lead over Dustin Johnson into Day 3.

On a course that lends itself to big final round moves, Gooch saw Jon Rahm, Tom McKibbin and others make a run at him on Sunday at Valderrama.

When Rahm birdied the 17th hole, his sixth birdie of a bogey-free day, the two-time major champion was tied with Gooch at 7 under. But Gooch birdied the par-5 17th hole behind Rahm to regain a one-shot lead. Rahm drove it into the trees on 18 and had to scramble for par, which allowed Gooch to make a par on 18 to secure his first LIV win since his 2023 win at Valderrama.

Beating Rahm by one shot in Spain made Gooch’s second win at Valderrama mean a little more.

“Made it a little bit more special for Rahmbo to be the one that I had to beat today,” Gooch said after his win. “I’ve beaten Sergio [Garcia] in a playoff out here. I’ve made a birdie on the last to beat Bryson [DeChambeau], beat Rahmbo by one. To beat this caliber of players, it’s just an affirmation of where my game has gotten and the type of player that I can be. Just again, it makes the wins that much more special.”

Gooch won’t play in next week’s Open Championship and he hasn’t played in a major since the 2024 PGA Championship. He wishes his hard work had paid off sooner, so he could take advantage of LIV’s new major exemption pathways with the USGA and R&A.

But that’s in the past. With more avenues opening up for LIV Golf into the majors and the league resubmitting its application for Official World Golf Rankings points, Gooch feels like his game is reemerging at the right time.

“I wish I would have played this way to start the year so I could have maybe gotten one of those spots into the majors at those certain points that we had,” Gooch said. “Listen, playing good golf anytime is good. I want to play good golf all the time. But yeah, with the momentum of the league and the momentum that we have with what we’re doing, everything from having HSBC and these big, big companies coming and seeing our vision and getting on board and supporting and partnering with us, it’s a good time to do well.

“I’m just happy again to be in the winner’s circle and happy to do it here in Valderrama.”

As for Rahm, he will arrive at next week’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush still without a win on the season. But the two-time major champion feels confident that everything could come together next week in Northern Ireland.

“Felt really in control all week,” Rahm said. “Honestly, I probably hit it better than I have in the last year and a half. Started seeing some shots that reminded me of some other good weeks, and once I got it going today and I felt comfortable on the greens, it was fun to put myself in that situation.

“I think hopefully this is a precursor for what’s to come the rest of the season. It started happening last year, and I hope it happens again because this week felt really good.”