LIV’s Talor Gooch shines at Valderrama and hopes for Ryder Cup boost

• Gooch on eight under, one off the lead, going into final round
• American wants to prove I'm worthy' of Ryder Cup talk

In ordinary times, an American on the verge of winning for the third time on a tour featuring some of the world's best players would automatically be part of the Ryder Cup narrative.

These are far from ordinary times. Talor Gooch, a two-time winner on LIV Golf this season, will begin the final round at Valderrama one stroke from the lead. He has had no interaction with Zach Johnson, the US Ryder Cup captain, less than three months out from the meeting with Europe in Rome. Because the LIV tour has been excluded from the Ryder Cup points process, Gooch sits 83rd in the standings.