Turbulent times for the PGA Tour continue as another of its renowned stars is poised to join the LIV Golf series directed by Greg Norman, according to The Telegraph.
The UK newspaper reports that Brooks Koepka joins the controversial Saudi-backed tour, joining people such as Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and other stars of the game who have already deserted.
Koepka, who has won four major championships, removed the PGA Tour from its social media platforms. According to the report, he is expected to play at the next LIV Golf event next week in Portland.
Koepka, 32, is a big hit for the LIV Tour considering that, like his rival DeChambeau and Johnson, he is at the best of his career, unlike some of the other players who have joined. and are 40 years of age or older. .
Also noteworthy is the fact that Koepka’s younger brother, Chase, a budding professional who has been struggling to earn his PGA Tour card to play on this tour, is already a member of LIV, having played his inaugural event two weeks ago.
Brooks Koepka at US OpenGetty Images
Interestingly, Koepka, a two-time U.S. Open winner, criticized the U.S. Open last week for asking questions about LIV, saying it was throwing a “black cloud” over the major.
“I don’t get it, I’m trying to focus on the U.S. Open, man,” said outraged Koepka, who finished 12 points and tied at 55th. “I legitimately don’t understand. I’m tired of conversations. I’m tired of all this stuff.
“I’m here at the U.S. Open, I’m ready to play the U.S. Open, and I think it’s a bit of shit too. You’re all throwing this black cloud over the U.S. Open. It’s one of mine. “Favorite events. I don’t know why you keep doing this. The more legs you give it, the more people keep talking about it.”
Well, Koepka seems to have given more legs to LIV Golf.
Brooks Koepka playing at the US Open on June 17, 2022. Getty Images
LIV has paid Mickelson $ 200 million, Johnson $ 125 million and DeChambeau $ 100 million. It is not known what Koepka’s number is. But so far he has won $ 37.9 million in race prizes on the PGA Tour, and LIV’s guaranteed money is likely to be at least double and possibly triple. that figure.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan was expected to hold a mandatory meeting of players at the Travelers’ Championship on Tuesday to discuss, among other things, a condensed fall calendar with much larger purses: a clear attempt to react to LIV Golf . ‘
Monahan has suspended the 17 PGA Tour member players who played in the first LIV event outside of London and is expected to do the same for those like DeChambeau, Patrick Reed and Koepka when and if they get it next week at Portland.
Surely there will be a lot of questions among the players in this meeting with Monahan on Tuesday.