LIV Golf Launches First U.S.-Based Team in Oklahoma with OKGC

Published April 21, 2026

LIV Golf announced the official rebrand of Smash GC into OKGC, short for Oklahoma Golf Club. The move converts the team into a U.S. market for the first time as a LIV Golf franchise, and will officially debut at Maaden LIV Golf Virginia from May 7-10.

The OKGC will be captained by 2023 LIV Golf Individual Champion Talor Gooch, who's originally from Midwest City, Oklahoma. Alongside Gooch on OKGC, team members include Jason Kokrak, Graeme McDowell and Harold Varner III. The rebranding pays homage to Gooch's hometown roots and will allow the franchise to expand its ties into the United States market and boost their global and regional partnerships.

Gooch is also an Oklahoma State University alum, one of the premier collegiate golf programs in Division I. The connection between OKGC and the university will create a natural pipeline for player recruitment and fan engagement through top‑tier programs like Oklahoma State and the University of Oklahoma.

"This is incredibly meaningful to me. Oklahoma is where I grew up and where I learned how to compete," Gooch said. "To now represent this state through OKGC and bring that identity with us around the world is something I'm really proud of. We're building a team that people can connect with, one that reflects the pride, resilience, and mindset of Oklahoma everywhere we go."

This piece is in partnership with LIV Golf.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/liv-golf-launches-first-u-s-based-team-oklahoma-okgc