Brooks Koepka: It's 'disappointing' my PGA win counts for nothing on LIV Golf
Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka says it's 'disappointing' his PGA Championship victory doesn't count for anything in the LIV Golf League.
Brooks Koepka complained his PGA Championship victory 'didn't count for anything' in the rival league after starting strong at LIV Golf Jeddah.
Koepka is the defending champion at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club and he carded an opening round of 4-under 66.
He trails early leader Marc Leishman by one stroke in King Abdullah Economic City with Cameron Smith and Dustin Johnson also in contention.
Koepka's opening 18 holes were entertaining. On No. 9, he holed out for eagle and even grew frustrated with himself after leaving a bunker shot well short.
"You f---ing dumbass," hot mics picked up the American saying, who is playing in his first event since the 2023 Ryder Cup.
"I thought I played solid," he said. "I didn't birdie any of the par-5s, so that was disappointing, but 4-under in this wind, all right. Two three-putts [was] not very good, but [I] just hung around."
This is the penultimate event of the second LIV campaign. There is one more stop on the circuit, a $50m team championship in Miami, before the league takes a break.
The individual winner of LIV Golf will earn an $18m bonus.
Only Smith, Talor Gooch and Bryson DeChambeau are in the reckoning for that but Koepka could pick up more cash for finishing third overall if he plays well over the weekend.
Koepka was asked about this by a reporter after the first round and the American explained it was frustrating his 'biggest win of the year' didn't count for anything in that regard.
A reporter asked Koepka: "Were you thinking about that at all coming into the week? Did you look at the permutations? Do you care one way or the other?"
And the 33-year-old replied:
Watch:
Brooks Koepka says it's 'disappointing' his PGA Championship victory doesn't count for anything when asked about a LIV Golf bonus.
Watch: pic.twitter.com/AlMIybtqpr— GolfMagic (@GolfMagic) October 13, 2023
Before this tournament began LIV were officially denied world ranking points.
Koepka's major championship appearances over the next few years aren't in doubt given his triumph at Oak Hill.
A number of LIV players have offered their thoughts about the subject, though.
The aforementioned Smith and DJ ripped into the decision. And Phil Mickelson revealed the four reasons why LIV were never going to get accreditation.
Read more:
Ben joined the GolfMagic team in September 2021, initially as a content executive.
These days, he assumes the position of content manager.
