Witness The Social-Media Roast Of Talor Gooch (And Some Of His Replies) After He Suggested Potential Rory McIlroy Masters Win Would Have An Asterisk Attached

When Talor Gooch uttered his take to Australian Golf Digest on what it would mean for Rory McIlroy to complete a career grand slam at the 2024 Masters, he said it with his chest. 

“If Rory McIlroy goes and completes his Grand Slam without some of the best players in the world, there’s just going to be an asterisk. It’s just the reality.” 

What Gooch appeared to suggest was that if not all of the top LIV golfers - including himself - were teeing it up at Augusta National Golf Club in April, then any victory would not be as meaningful.

Well, it turns out that not many people agreed. There were some who do, of course, but most fans and journalists on social media were not having any of it. And, boy, did they let him know.

CBS' Kyle Porter drew attention to a couple of historic statement from Gooch in his X post.

Meanwhile, journalist Shane Bacon and X account Underdog__Golf made their respective jibes with tongue firmly in cheek.

Last week, LIV's Joaquin Niemann was one of three players handed special invites to Augusta while, as things stand, Gooch - who was the 54-hole league's individual champion in 2023 - is set to miss out. Niemann's Masters inclusion took the total number of LIV players up to 12.

Barstool Sports' Dan Rapaport noted this and suggested that when Gooch said "some of the best players in the world" what he really meant was "Talor Gooch."

Elsewhere, the No Laying Up podcast and data golf allowed some numbers to do the talking.

Others just relied on good ol' fashioned humor...

Following some of the ribbing, Gooch himself began replying to a handful of sarcastic questions or comments on X. 

A well-followed account called Masters Burner messaged the 2023 LIV individual champion asking if his dog's "best behaved" award at doggy daycare did in fact count due to "Cleo the Bernadoodle from Avon" not being in attendance.

Fair play to the pro golfer, but he did reply. Catch the thread below.

Another golf fan, Jack Glaspy asked if his high-school JV championship victory counted as Gooch wasn't in the field there, to which the American responded.

And replying to Rapaport's earlier message in a two-part response, Gooch said...