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In 2019, the week Brooks led Koepka from wire to wire at the PGA Championship in Bethpage Black and won a fourth major title in 23 months, he broke down why he believed he was the most dominant player on the biggest stages of the to become a golfer.
“[There are]156 on the field,” he said, “so expect me to hit at least 80 of them. From there, assume about half of them won’t play well. So they’re down to about 35. And then by 35, some of them are just going to… get under pressure. There are only a few more left and you simply have to beat these guys.
Koepka, a Palm Beach County resident and Jupiter resident, has recently become one of those guys that makes others believe, “I’m just going to hit.” Koepka, who wasn’t a factor in this year’s majors and rarely competed last year is leaving the PGA Tour to join Greg Norman’s LIV Golf Series, whether due to injuries, the distraction of planning a wedding, or simply being past his peak.
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Brooks Koepka’s announcement to leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf
The announcement came Wednesday after Koepka withdrew from the Travelers Championship late Tuesday.
Koepka, 32, is a huge hit for the Saudi Arabian-backed series Seeking Credibility and Attention, a series whose events are shown on YouTube because she doesn’t have a television deal. The first LIV event in London two weeks ago featured just two golfers, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson. Add Bryson DeChambeau and Koepka for next week’s event at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club outside of Portland, Oregon, and now it has four.
But none of that matters to the 20 or so players who have fled the PGA Tour and others who are struggling to break into the world of professional golf.
Why other golfers join Liv Golf
All that matters is the checks coming into their accounts. Everyone from Palm Beach Gardens’ Charl Schwarzel, who won $4.75 million for winning the singles title and being on the winning team in London; Andy Ogletree, who took home $120,000 in prize money for his 24-over shooting and last place finish in the 48-man field, is in LIV for a reason.
In two decades as a pro, Schwartzel has never won $3 million in one year, including in 2011 when he won the Masters. Ogeltree’s career earnings in four years of touring events is $38,186.
Koepka’s decision certainly has something to do with adding to the $38 million he’s made in prize money throughout his career and millions more off the course. It also gives us a glimpse into the mind of a golfer who was once considered among the kings of golf, held the world No. 1 ranking for 47 weeks and was as feared in recent history as anyone whose name wasn’t Tiger Woods, when it comes to the majors.
Now, Koepka has done the complete opposite of what he’s become known for on golf’s biggest stages – a steely, laser-focused, ultra-competitive champion.
He outrun the competition.
Injuries have certainly played a role in his struggles, but he’s been dealing with them – be it his wrist, his knee, his hip – for a number of years. Perhaps Koepka just can’t handle his body, which doesn’t allow him to be a constant threat on the PGA Tour.
Or maybe he’s seen a group of talented players in their 20s — all about five years Koepka’s junior — making their mark in the sport. Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, Sam Burns, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Will Zalatoris have all whizzed past Koepka in the world rankings.
What happened to Brooks Koepka, who just four months ago said it was “embarrassing” to be ranked No. 20 in the world? He is currently No. 19.
Old Brooks Koepka would have accepted that challenge, pulled out the disrespect card he’d used so well during his run of four major championships in eight starts, and restored his status among the best in the world.
Brooks Koepka will make millions from LIV golf events
Now, Koepka is taking the easy money — he’ll probably get around $100 million to join the series — to play eight LIV events (the series hopes to expand next year) and any other tournaments that LIV golfers will be welcomed.
All of this is of course his prerogative, but he’s the one who has to accept the backlash for joining a league backed by Saudi money. And since we know Koepka as well as many of us, he certainly doesn’t care about the setback.
But Koepka will no longer play against the best in the world, with the possible exception of a few majors a year, and even that can be taken away. He has to accept that too.
One thing is certain, Koepka would not have taken this path two or three years ago when his game was still mysterious.
And nobody outside of Mickelson has handled that decision worse than Koepka. He will forever be remembered for calling out Mickelson for his “greed” comment when he said LIV was going to get their boys because “somebody sold out and they’re going to go for it,” insisting money wasn’t an issue and “I only want to play against the best.”
On Wednesday, Rory McIlroy, who has been as vocal as anyone in his loyalty to the PGA Tour, said he was surprised by Koepka’s decision to call her “doubtful” because of “what he’s said before.”
Lately:Brooks Koepka tired of talking and hearing about LIV Golf ahead of the US Open
What we know:More PGA Tour players are moving to the LIV Golf Invitational as it prepares for the second event
But now he can’t play any PGA Tour events, including his hometown Honda Classic, which, to Koepka’s credit, has been on his schedule every year. The greatest golfer ever born and raised in Palm Beach County is leaving the best and most competitive league in his sport. Sure, his four majors were historic, something he — and should be proud of — will be for the rest of his life.
Those trophies still adorn Koepka’s bookshelves. It is his reputation that has been tarnished.
Tom D’Angelo is a journalist with the Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at [email protected].