LIV Golf player Talor Gooch believes promising American talent can look to the Asian Tour and The International Series as a viable career pathway as the game continues to strengthen across the region.
The Smash GC star is one of 43 LIV Golf stars teeing it up in the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers at Riyadh Golf Club from 19-22 November.
The event is the final date on The International Series, the set of elevated events on the Asian Tour that this year offers two life-changing places onto the LIV Golf League.
Having also played at the Link Hong Kong Open and Moutai Singapore Open already this year, Gooch has seen for himself the high caliber of events and what they offer to golfers with a global perspective.
Now in its fourth season, The International Series has provided players with a pathway onto the Majors as well as the LIV Golf League, via the Link Hong Kong Open and International Series Macau presented by Wynn.
He said: “It is great to see a bunch of the players that are trying to get to LIV Golf - you can see the pressure that is on each week for those guys trying to make it into those top positions, to get to LIV. So it is great to see some of the young talent, guys from all over the world, playing The International Series.”
Gooch knows a thing or two about Americans and international talent taking the pathway onto LIV Golf having played two seasons with Andy Ogletree, the 2023 International Series Rankings champion who landed a spot on Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC team. He also played two seasons with Scott Vincent, the Zimbabwean who won the Rankings title the season previously and earned a place on the Iron Heads GC.
John Catlin is another American who taken an international route to LIV Golf. The 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion was handed a regular LIV Golf alternate spot shortly after winning International Series Macau Presented by Wynn.
The latest example is Ollie Schniederjans, the former amateur world. No.1, who currently sits fifth on the Rankings.
The 32-year-old received an exemption onto all International Series events after finishing inside the top 10 at last season’s LIV Golf Promotions event, and started the 2025 campaign with a bang by winning the season-opening International Series India presented by DLF.
Gooch said: “Seeing all he has done, it just proves that it is a great route. Obviously, there is so much going on in the golf world right now, I am hopeful that more and more American players see that this is a great tour. There is a bunch of great golf courses, there is now more access into the majors, so, I think the Asian Tour and International Series is on a great trajectory, and it is going to continue to pull more and more players from around the world.”
Would a younger Gooch have taken the same pathway on offer to the current generation of global golfing talent?
Gooch has flourished since joining LIV Golf, winning three times on his way to the 2023 Individual Championship title and then claiming victory at LIV Golf Andalucia this season.
“I mean, not years ago,” said the 34-year-old former Oklahoma State University player. “But now, it is totally different now than it was when I turned pro. Harold (Varner III) and I were talking about that.
“We were paired together in Hong Kong a few weeks back in the first two rounds, and we were talking about how when we first came out, this was not really thought of as something that we would have done if we turned pro (from college). But now this is definitely something you have to consider. “
The PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers is the final event of The International Series schedule.
The two leading players on The International Series Rankings will earn places onto the LIV Golf League roster for the 2026, and players inside the top 40 will qualify for places in the LIV Golf Promotions event in January which will offer another two golden tickets.
The International Series is the most prized pathway in golf. It consists of a set of elite tournaments sanctioned by the Asian Tour and offers the year-long Rankings Winner & Runner-Up promotion to the LIV Golf League.
