LIV Golf players, led by Dustin Johnson, finding success at The Open amid backlash for breaking away

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — The criticism leveled at the LIV Golf players by their peers and the sport's stakeholders has galvanized them at the 150th Open, according to Talor Gooch.

Gooch carded a 3-under 69 on Friday to sit 7 under after the first two rounds at St. Andrews. With Dustin Johnson at the top end of the leaderboard at 9 under and Sergio Garcia shooting a 6-under 66 in the second round, players from the breakaway LIV series are firmly in the mix for the Claret Jug entering the weekend.

Their play comes on the back of criticism leveled in LIV Golf's direction from the R&A and other golfers. Rory McIlroy said it would be «better for the game» if a LIV player did not win this year's Open, while Tiger Woods said those who had joined LIV had «turned their back» on the sport.

Gooch has heard some of the criticism, and when asked whether this had motivated the LIV golfers to perform at St. Andrews, he answered: «Yeah, for sure. Everybody, it feels like, is against us, and that's OK. Like you said, it's kind of banded us together, I think.»

LIV golfers like Lee Westwood and Paul Casey had promising first rounds, while Abraham Ancer, Ian Poulter and Bryson DeChambeau are also in the mix.

«I think there's some strong players [in LIV], no doubt. The credentials of everyone speaks for themselves,» Gooch said. «It's obviously cool for me to see other guys that are out there playing well. We've caught a lot of flak for what we've done here recently.

»I think one thing that cannot be questioned is the quality of players that are there."

But Johnson said the criticism wasn't a motivating factor for him.

«Not me because, honestly, I don't read anything,» Johnson said. «So I wouldn't know what you were saying or if there was