In 2019, the week Brooks Koepka would lead wire-to-wire on the PGA Championship at Bethpage Black and seize a fourth main title in 23 months, he broke down why he believed he’d develop into probably the most dominant participant on golf’s largest levels.
“(There are) 156 within the discipline,” he mentioned, “so you work no less than 80 of them I am simply going to beat. From there you work about half of them will not play effectively. So that you’re all the way down to about possibly 35. After which from 35, a few of them simply … stress goes to get to them. It solely leaves you with just a few extra, and you have simply bought to beat these guys. “
Koepka, the Palm Seaside County native and Jupiter resident, lately has develop into a type of guys others consider, “I am simply going to beat.” A non-factor on this yr’s majors and barely in competition within the final yr, Koepka, whether or not due to accidents, the distraction of planning a marriage or possibly simply being previous his peak, is leaving the PGA Tour to affix Greg Norman’s LIV Golf Collection.
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Brooks Koepka’s announcement to go away PGA Tour for LIV Golf
The announcement got here Wednesday, after Koepka withdrew from the Vacationers Championship late Tuesday.
Koepka, at 32, is a giant get for the Saudi-backed collection trying to find credibility and a spotlight, one whose occasions are proven on YouTube as a result of it would not have a tv deal. LIV’s first occasion two weeks in the past in London featured simply two golfers who transfer the needle, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson. Add Bryson DeChambeau and Koepka for subsequent week’s occasion at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Membership exterior of Portland, Oregon, and now it has 4.
However none of that issues to the 20 or so gamers who’ve defected from the PGA Tour and others who’re struggling to seek out their footing on the planet {of professional} golf.
Why different golf gamers are becoming a member of Liv Golf
All that issues are the checks hitting their accounts. Everybody from Palm Seaside Gardens’ Charl Schwartzel, who gained $ 4.75 million for successful the person title and being a part of the successful crew in London; to Andy Ogletree, who took house $ 120,000 in prize cash for taking pictures 24-over and ending final within the 48-man-field, is in LIV for one motive.
In 20 years as a professional, Schwartzel by no means gained $ 3 million in a yr, together with 2011 when he gained the Masters. Ogeltree’s profession earnings in 4 years of taking part in tour occasions is $ 38,186.
Koepka’s resolution definitely has to do with including to that $ 38 million he is earned in prize cash, plus tens of millions extra off the course, in his profession. It additionally provides us a peek into the thoughts of a golfer who at one time was thought-about amongst golf’s royalty, held the No. 1 rating on the planet for 47 weeks and was as feared as anybody not named Tiger Woods in latest historical past with regards to the majors.
Now, Koepka has finished one thing fully reverse to what he had develop into recognized for on golf’s largest levels – a steely, laser-like targeted, ultra-competitive champion.
He has run from the competitors.
Accidents definitely have performed a think about his struggles, however he is been coping with these – whether or not it is his wrist, knee, hip – for a number of years now. Maybe Koepka simply cannot deal with his physique not permitting him to be a constant risk on the PGA Tour.
Or maybe he is seen a gaggle of gifted gamers of their 20s – all about 5 years youthful than Koepka – making their mark within the sport. Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, Sam Burns, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Will Zalatoris all have zoomed previous Koepka on the planet rankings.
What occurred to the Brooks Koepka who mentioned simply 4 months in the past it was “embarrassing” to be ranked no. 20 on the planet? At present he’s No. 19.
The outdated Brooks Koepka would have taken on that problem, pulled out the disrespect card he used so effectively throughout his run of 4 main championships in eight begins, and re-established his standing among the many finest on the planet.
Brooks Koepka stands to make tens of millions with LIV golf occasions
Now, Koepka is taking the straightforward cash he— he’s probably receiving within the neighborhood of $ 100 million to affix the collection — to play eight LIV occasions (the collection is hoping to increase subsequent yr) and no matter different tournaments will welcome LIV golfers.
All this, in fact, is his proper, however he’s the one who has to just accept the backlash for becoming a member of a league backed by Saudi cash. And understanding Koepka as many people do, he definitely doesn’t care in regards to the blowback.
However Koepka will not be taking part in towards the perfect on the planet, with the doable exception of some majors annually, and even that could be taken away. That, too, he has to just accept.
This a lot is for certain, Koepka wouldn’t have taken this path two or three years in the past when there was a mystique to his recreation.
And nobody exterior of Mickelson has dealt with this resolution worse than Koepka. He’ll without end be remembered for calling out Mickelson for his “greed” remark, saying LIV would get their guys as a result of “any person will promote out and go to it,” and insisting cash would not matter and “I simply need to play towards the perfect. “
On Wednesday, Rory McIlroy, who has been as vocal as anybody in his loyalty to the PGA Tour, mentioned he was shocked with Koepka’s resolution, calling it “duplicitous” due to “what he mentioned earlier than.”
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However now he’s unable to play PGA Tour occasions, together with his hometown Honda Traditional, which, to Koepka’s credit score, was on his schedule yearly. One of the best golfer ever born and bred in Palm Seaside County is leaving the perfect, best league in his sport. Certain, his 4 majors had been historic, one thing he shall be and— and must be — happy with the remainder of his life.
These trophies nonetheless shine sitting on Koepka’s bookshelves. It is his repute that has been tarnished.
Tom D’Angelo is a journalist on the Palm Seaside Publish. You may attain him at tdangelo@pbpost.com.