NORTH PLAINS, Ore. — What changed for Brooks Koepka? What led him to pull an about-face, to go from labeling those who joined the LIV Golf Series as sellouts, and saying he would not chase the money … to doing exactly those things.
“Just my opinion. My opinion changed,” Koepka said Tuesday during his first media availability since leaving the PGA Tour last week and taking what is believed to be at least $100 million to take his talents to LIV Golf.
“I feel very comfortable with the decision that was made. I’m very happy and I did what was best for me.”
In a press conference that was at times contentious and included LIV golfer talking points (the innovation, the lure of team competition, the opportunity to spend more time at home), Koepka, the four-time majors winner from Jupiter, was joined on the podium by Pat Perez and Patrick Reed, three of the more recent defectors from the PGA Tour.
Koepka, 32, was a nice addition by Greg Norman and the series being financed by Saudi Arabia’s PIF Investment Fund. He added another layer of credibility – along with newcomers Bryson DeChambeau, Abraham Ancer and Patrick Reed – to the series.
But it still leaves LIV far from the tour they all left when it comes to prestige and validity.
Still, none of that matters to Koepka, who will play in his first LIV event this week at the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club outside of Portland.
Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, others repeat talking points
Koepka, and his peers including DeChambeau, Ancer and Matthew Wolff, who spoke earlier Tuesday, are in lockstep when it comes to questions about the source of the money, which is from a nation with atrocious human rights violations.
They respect people’s feelings and opinions (another talking point), but, hey, this all about golf.
“They’re allowed to have their opinions,” Koepka said. “You know, we’ve heard it. I think everybody has. It’s been brought up. But, look, like we said, our only job is to go play golf, and that’s all we’re trying to do. We’re trying to grow the game, do all this other stuff. And we’re trying the best we can.
“We’re here to play golf. We’re excited about it.”
The award for the most tone-deaf, wish-I-had-that-back answer to the question goes to DeChambeau, who, after saying he respects those opinions regretfully added, “I think moving on from that is important.”
Koepka, who said he has not resigned his PGA Tour membership, admitted the grind of weekly events has taken a toll on his body. And the results have shown a steady decline. To his point, he has been through some difficult times with knee, hip and wrist injuries over the last five years.
A man once among the most feared in the game when it came to golf’s biggest events, Koepka had to work just to make the cut at the majors this season. He placed 55th in the U.S. Open after tying for 55th at the PGA Championship and missing the cut at the Masters. Starting with the 2017 U.S. Open through 2021, Koepka played in 14 majors with four titles among his 11 top 10 finishes.
“What I’ve had go through the last two years on my knees, the pain, the rehab, all this stuff, we realized you need a little bit more time off,” Koepka said. “I’d be the first one to say it’s not been an easy last couple years and I think having a little more break, little more time at home to make sure I’m 100 percent before I go play in an event and don’t feel like I’m forced to play right away. That was a big thing for me.
“It was just … the burnout part of it. You’re not doing a month on the road anymore.”
That, and money talks. LIV’s events come with purses of $25 million with a $4 million check for the winner. Of that, $5 million is set aside for the team competition. Brooks is one of 12 captains and his team will include his brother, Chase, who was one of the original golfers to commit to LIV Golf.
Brooks called that “cool” for him, his brother and his family.
And every golfer has his reasons to chase money in a series that this year has scheduled just eight events (that number is expected to grow to 10 next year and 14 in 2024.) For the 46-year-old Perez, it’s two decades of grinding and not just missing birthdays but missing his son’s birth last year. For Reed, it’s “living through Facetime watching my kids grow up.”
For Koepka, who recently threw himself a lavish wedding in the Turks and Caicos, it’s about “being at home a little bit more.”
That all sounds good, but considering Perez has earned $29 million, Reed $37 million and Koepka $38 million, in prize money alone, many will save their sympathy for those who really deserve it.
Koepka’s single biggest payday on the PGA Tour has been $2.16 million for winning the U.S. Open in 2017 and 2018. He made just more than $1.3 million in 15 tour events this season. If the nine-figure signing bonus was not enough, he will make more than that $1.3 million if he’s in the top three this week or any week with LIV.
Koepka careful talking about Rory McIlroy
So this decision by Koepka, and everybody else, was about one thing.
Rory McIlroy, the Jupiter resident who has been as outspoken as anyone when it comes to his support for the PGA Tour, was most surprised that Koepka bailed, calling his act “duplicitous.”
Koepka chose his words carefully Tuesday when asked about McIlroy.
“Look, I got respect for Rory as a player,” Koepka said. “He’s good. He’s phenomenal. … He’s entitled to his opinion. He can think whatever he wants. He’s going to do what’s best for him and his family, I’m going to do what’s best for me and my family and can’t hate on anybody for that.
“And like I said, opinions change, man.”
That’s what money does.
Tom D’Angelo is a journalist at the Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network. You can reach him at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
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