Talor Gooch, Smash GC Surge in 1st Post-Koepka Era Event at LIV Golf Riyadh

Talor Gooch, now captain of Smash GC following Brooks Koepka’s departure to the PGA Tour in 2026, delivered another consistent performance with a 5-under 67 in Round 2 at ROSHN Group LIV Golf Riyadh. Joined by teammate Jason Kokrak in the post-round press conference, Gooch reflected on a solid day marked by excellent ball control and minimal mistakes with his lone bogey coming from a three-putt from 15 feet. “It was a really solid day,” Gooch said. “Hit a bunch of greens, gave myself some good looks and made a few. These are the type of days of golf that you wish you could have more of.”

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Kokrak stole the spotlight with the round of the day, an 8-under 64, crediting improved ball-striking and strong driving compared to the opening round. “Depth perception was a little off, but ball control was really good,” he noted. “Got into a couple sticky situations but made a couple nice par saves. Got hot for about a nine-, ten-hole stretch.” The duo’s efforts have propelled Smash GC to the team lead at 30-under par through 36 holes, with Gooch himself tied atop the individual leaderboard. “We talked about we wanted to get off to a hot start this year,” Gooch said. “We’ve done good through two rounds, but we’re only halfway there.”

Gooch emphasized sticking to his tried-and-true game plan on a course that has suited his strengths this week. “These two days it has,” he said of the layout lending itself to his approach. “I haven’t played well the last couple times we’ve been here, so it’s nice to come to a course that I feel like I should play well on and play well.” He reiterated his longstanding “rule of 67,” noting that consistent low scores remain the priority. “You go play good golf, and everything takes care of itself… Birdies take care of all that stuff.”

The new captain expressed pride in the team’s strong start under his leadership. “I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the year through the first two rounds,” Gooch said. “We’ve still got a lot of golf left, so we’ve got to go and continue to play great.” Kokrak echoed the positive team vibe, praising Gooch’s leadership by example and highlighting the chemistry among the four players, including Harold Varner III and Graeme McDowell. “Talor has been a great captain so far,” Kokrak said. “We’re going to have a lot of fun this year.”

Both players acknowledged the unique challenges of night golf, particularly with wind. Gooch noted that darkness amplifies variables, making wind feel even more punishing. “Everything in the dark is a little bit harder,” he said. “The wind here is a little bit challenging… It feels like it’s another couple strokes harder in the dark.” Despite the difficulties, both emphasized the fun factor and the importance of maintaining aggression on a course that rewards fairways and greens.

With 36 holes remaining in the first 72-hole LIV Golf event, Smash GC remains focused on execution rather than comfort in the lead. “You put it in the fairway, you’re going to attack this golf course,” Kokrak said. “We’ve got a lot of golf to be played… We’re playing some solid golf.” Gooch added that while winning is the immediate goal, the team must stay disciplined over the final two rounds. “It’s going to take four rounds,” he said. “We’ve got to go put two more good rounds together to get that done.”

As Smash GC sets the pace at the halfway mark, Gooch and Kokrak appear locked in and motivated, positioning the team as early frontrunners in what promises to be a compelling finish to the season-opening event in Riyadh.

Photos, quotes, and data courtesy LIV Golf