Talor Gooch helped launch OKGC as LIV Golf’s first U.S.-market team, giving Oklahoma fans a homegrown identity to rally around.
Talor Gooch is putting his Oklahoma stamp on LIV Golf in a way that goes beyond scorecards and trophies.
With Smash GC officially reintroduced as OKGC, Gooch now sits at the center of a major shift for the league: a team built around a real U.S. home market, real local identity and a fan base rooted in state pride.
That matters to Gooch, an Oklahoma native born in Midwest City and a former Oklahoma State golfer.
Speaking at the team’s launch event in Oklahoma City, Gooch made it clear this project hits differently because it reflects where he came from.
“I grew up going to a lot of movies at Harkins Theatre,” Gooch said. “Just knowing the passion of the fans here in Oklahoma, the passion of the people here in Oklahoma … it’s amazing to be a part of something that is now possible.”
The rebrand includes imagery tied directly to the state, including a bison, a white star with 46 to honor Oklahoma’s place as the 46th state, and a color scheme built around orange and blue tones.
Gooch played a major role in shaping that identity as he entered his first season as captain.
He’s earned that influence. Gooch is one of just eight players to compete in all 56 LIV Golf events since the league launched in 2022.
He’s also piled up four regular-season wins, contributed to seven team victories, and stands alongside Jon Rahm and Dustin Johnson as the only players to claim both an Individual Championship and a Team Championship in LIV competition.
Teammate Graeme McDowell said Gooch’s connection to Oklahoma gives the franchise a foundation few others can match.
“For Talor to be leading the first U.S.-centric geographically located team here in Oklahoma, I think it’s extra special,” McDowell said. “He creates a culture. He creates an energy for our team.”
For Gooch, though, the biggest goal isn’t just winning now. It’s creating something young golfers in Oklahoma can dream about joining one day.
“That’s what I’m most excited about,” Gooch said. “I’m going to meet a kid who’s 14, 15 years old who’s going to say, ‘I’m going to come play for OKGC one day.’ For me, that’s the new dream.”
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