Talor Gooch will be the new captain of the Smash GC starting from the 2026 season of LIV Golf which kicks off next month, taking the place left by Brooks Koepka. The West Palm Beach native, one of the most influential figures of the team since the franchise’s creation in the Saudi tour, decided to end his stint in the emerging circuit to return a few weeks later to the PGA Tour.
Gooch, a regular in the Smash GC alongside Koepka in recent years, was the natural successor to take on the leadership. His appointment comes after the high-profile departure of the five-time major winner, which surprised everyone in December and led the PGA Tour to announce a programme known as ‘Returning Member‘ for some former players, allowing him to compete from the Farmers Insurance Open.
“Brooks’s departure leaves a huge void,” acknowledged Gooch in statements to bunkered.co.uk. “He is one of the best players and major champions of the last decade, so it’s hard to fill such a gap,” he added. Despite this, the new captain was optimistic about the team formed with Graeme McDowell and Jason Kokrak, with whom he has built a solid relationship in recent seasons. “We are excited to start and to build something we’ve been talking about for a while, GMac, Kokrak and I. We’re going to have to step up,” he recalled.
Gooch even made his competitive philosophy clear: “My golden rule is the 67. The goal is to shoot rounds of 67, as many as possible, and everything else falls into place.” His team, however, still has a spot to fill following Koepka‘s departure. According to The Times, Harold Varner III is tipped to be the one to leave 4Aces (who have signed Detry) and strengthen the Smash GC. Gooch did not confirm the name, but did admit that the addition is advanced: “We have someone in mind who can help us a lot.”
In addition to the sporting challenge, the American faces a different winter, as he now has to manage a collective project. “I’ve been understanding my new role and responsibilities, meeting with LIV to talk about budgets and the system in general, but above all spending more time with GMac and Kokrak to define expectations,” he explained. And he concluded, enthusiastically saying: “It’s fun, it’s exciting and we’re ready to get started.”
