LIV Golf star's latest contentious take is truly outlandish

LIV Golf star Talor Gooch has gained quite a reputation for some of his controversial and outlandish takes ever since he first joined the Saudi-backed golf circuit in 2022. The former PGA Tour pro once famously compared the atmosphere at an LIV event to that of a Ryder Cup, despite having never competed in one, after he and his teammates won an event on the circuit during LIV's inaugural season. Comments he later walked back on.

Gooch was ranked in the world's Top 40 in the OWGR when he joined Greg Norman and company in 2022. Now, he finds himself outside the Top 500 with LIV players not accruing ranking points for events played on the circuit. As a result, Talor Gooch did not receive an invite to compete in the recent Masters Tournament at Augusta National.

Prior to the Masters, the 32-year-old came under intense scrutiny for wild comments he made about Rory McIlroy after saying any green jacket won by the Northern Irishman would come with an asterisk on account of not all the best players in the world competing in the year's first major.

LIV Golf star's latest outlandish comments are something

The outspoken member of LIV Golf's Smash GC continues to speak his mind publicly and this week Talor Gooch shared his opinion on the latest topic of debate; the expansion from 54 holes to 72. LIV Golf has instituted the use of a 54-hole format for its tournaments from the beginning; one of the key sticking points in their application for OWGR status being denied in October 2023.

Two-time major champion Jon Rahm recently said he would be in favor of LIV expanding to 72 holes in the near future. Even Phil Mickelson recently stated following the Masters last week that he wouldn't be surprised if the tour expanded to 72 soon.

Talor Gooch apparently does not share that opinion. Per bunkered, Gooch questioned golf having 72 hole events saying: “It’s just funny to me, this arbitrary number of 72."

“Why is it not 90? “Why is it not 108? We just decided to make that number the number, for what reason? Everyone’s talked about world ranking points and all this stuff, but no one’s talked about what do the fans enjoy more?" he continued.

"People want something that’s going to be more exciting. And I personally think that the 54 holes is more exciting for the fans."

What makes Gooch certain that fans prefer 54 holes over 72? There will certainly be some that agree with his sentiment but the same question could be asked about any sport in all seriousness. Why does Baseball play nine innings? Why is an NFL game four quarters and not two halves? Why does hockey play three periods? And so on.

Do you agree with Talor Gooch?

I know what side I'd rather be on. I'll side with the guys who have won multiple majors on this one.