It didn’t take a world-class detective to know that Brooks Koepka was uncomfortable standing in front of media members last week at the 122nd U.S. Open.
He had something to hide and when you can’t tell the truth, you try and deflect, you get defensive and Koepka tried his best but deep down inside, he knew he was deceiving everyone.
That’s Brooks Koepka. He’s surly, suspicious and withdrawn — has been since he graduated from the European Tour to the big league — the PGA Tour.
If you’re not convinced, let’s take you back to the 2020 Honda Classic that is played not far from his home.
It was Wednesday at the Honda and of course it was a natural to have Brooks meet up with what few media members were there.
And this is what he said when asked about what was then in the early stages and referred to as the “Premier League”:
“Money doesn’t matter, Koepka said in a direct fashion in his constant monotone. “It’s not something that’s important. I just want to be happy. Money’s not going to make me happy. I just want to play against the best. If somebody gave me $200 million tomorrow it’s not going to change my life. What am I going to get out of it? I already have (enough money) that I could retire right now, but I don’t want to. I just want to play golf.”
Keep in mind that was two years and a number of injuries ago. Koepka, once a fixture in the top five of the Official World Golf Rankings — has now fallen all the way down to No. 19 and now that he’s defected, that number will keep dropping. It’s a recurring theme with players taking the fat contracts from the Saudi government — they’ve all been falling in the world rankings, no one has been moving up.
There’s a word that sums up Koepka’s full frontal deceit last week at the U.S. Open — duplicitous (thank-you Rory McIlroy, you have an excellent vocabulary). Brooks tried to deflect the questions about his LIV interest and blamed the media for throwing what he termed a “Black Cloud” over the U.S. Open. Truth be known Brooks, it’s something everyone had been talking about before, during and after the U.S. Open — it’s just that Brooks wasn’t man enough to stand up and tell the truth — he was the next guy going.
“I’m surprised,” said Rory McIlroy — “by the fact that he said one thing and did another.”
Over in Brooks’ neck-of-the-woods, investment banker Jimmy Dunne, the president of Seminole Golf Club, had some choice thoughts for Koepka and his Saudi-money-loving cohorts.
You may or may not recall that Dunne, at the urging of friend and business partner Chris Quackenbush, went to play in a USGA Mid-Amateur qualifier that fateful day — September 11, 2001. Dunne never finished that round. He found out early that a plane hijacked by Saudi terrorists had crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center where his firm had nearly 43,000 square feet on the 104th floor. Sixty-six of the firm’s 83 employees were killed and in the cowardly attack, including his Quackenbush, Dunne’s childhood friend. Dunne made it his life’s work to pick up the pieces, take care of the families of those killed and resurrect the firm.
Here’s what Dunne had to say about these former Tour players heading to the LIV:
“I don’t like it when they say they’re ‘growing the game,’” Dunne said. “That’s crap. I don’t even like it when they say ‘I have to do what’s best for my family.’ I really wonder how many of those guys, the lifestyle that they were living was so horrible that their family needed them to do this. Just say, ‘I’m at a point in my career where I (want to) make five times as much money against much weaker competition and play less.’ Just tell the truth. Don’t cover it with a lot of crap.”
And that’s what Koepka fed everyone last week at the U.S. Open — a load of crap.
Call it karma but last Sunday Brooksie was paired with newly-crowned NCAA individual champ Travis Vick, who dusted Koepka. Vick shot 73, Koepka a smooth 77 and Vick finished eight-over and earned low amateur honors. Koepka finished 12-over and probably asked his manager right afterward when the LIV contract was ready to sign.
Yes, tobacco-chewing, Bryson DeChambeau-loving Brooks fits the LIV profile to a tee. Not much of a personality, deceitful and unable to stand in front of a media group that knows he’s feeding them a big shovel of bull-crap.
Truth be known, Brooks was never much of a fan of regular PGA Tour events and pretty much said so at times. He also said in a Golf Digest interview a while back that he plans to equal or pass Tiger Woods and his 15 major championships.
Yeah, more bull-crap from Brooks.
But now, no one has to listen to it anymore.
Click here to enjoy Sam Harrop’s latest ode to Brooks Koepka: “LIV Forever”
6 Comments
baxter cepeda
Brooks imo was genuinely wanting to focus on the US open. That’s been his MO a long time. Sure he wasn’t ready to announce anything, but mainly because he wanted to focus on the US Open.
Brooks doesn’t care about regular events. So if he can get more money in less events, no brainer.
I’m tired of the pga tour claiming legacy when many of its tournaments haven’t even been around that long. Venues change. Sponsors chance. Cities change. Everything is on constant change with the pga tour except a few events, and many of those have become sleepy events on obsolete courses that few top players go to. Most pga tour are just money grabs, same as LIv.
As for Dunn, ironic one of the richest men in the world would make comments like that. Maybe he can donate a few hundred million himself so he can be more at the same financial level of most pga tour players. Of course he would never ever do that. I get having a soft spot for 9–11 families but that doesn’t make an illogical argument make sense. Give up your money and we will listen to you telling others to give up their. My verdict has been out on this man who we really got to know at that Covid Seminole event, which happened way too soon. Anyone who can be almighty with others money is officially a shmuck imo.
And Brooks is a mans man. You know I don’t love the guy. But saying Brooks is scared of biased media questions, I’m just not buying that. One thing I buy about Brooks is that the 4 majors are where his focus is, especially during those 4 majors.
Tom Edrington
Jimmy Dunne is NOT one of the richest men in the world, so check your facts; Brooks is/has been/and always will be a total jerk; No one will miss him. Judging how Brooks played at the US Open, he wasn’t very focused on it, got run by an amateur. Baxter, you can make your stand with the LIV; That’s your choice; I’m with Rory and the really good players who believe in the PGA Tour. AND Brooks is now finding out it’s not as easy as he claimed to win those majors. Brooks, like DJ will practice less. He doesn’t even like golf and DJ would rather be on his boat in the Jupiter Inlet with his brother. I’m with Rory JT, Rahm and the quality players, you can stand with the stiffs and the has-beens.
baxter cepeda
Someone worth north of 120$ million (I’m guessing much more) fits into richest men in the world category in my book.
Maybe mr Dunn can leave about two thirds of his money sitting on some table somewhere because that is essentially what he is asking pga tour players to do.
Not mentioned enough is that aside from the money, and the grow the game talk which we can agree is Bs from ALL sides, is that these boys don’t want to be on work mode 50 weeks a year.
LIv let’s them breathe. Now the pga tour will let them breathe some. Thanks LIv for that. But It’s a HUGE reason. It gives them opportunities to make more money elsewhere. Rest. Travel. I totally get this.
What’s the point of being ultra rich if you can never enjoy it until you are fishing alone in some creek in Montana; which you don’t need much money to do that.
Again I’m not on Livs side but can see good ideas in what they do. And I appreciate the billions pouring into golf.
Meanwhile I see the pga tour running things in very poor fashion.
The part I will continue to criticize is Monahan pushing top 50 players away. That’s just so dumb with all this clear writing on the wall.
Players will continue to trickle into LIv and the pga tours ability to negotiate and compromise on their terms is dwindling by the minute.
It’s sad. I need not to be happening. LIv isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Every player Monahan blackballs makes the pga tour sadder and sadder.
DJ, Brooks and Bryson missing will be greatly missed Tom. These 3 are quite literally Titans of golf.
You cannot keep disparaging every player thaT Livs. Pun intended. But I’m too observant to buy that.
But still I look forward to seeing how you try to disparage the next lov crop that is about to be announced. Whoever it is, one thing is certain, you will try to find a way to disparage them. Guaranteed.
Tom Edrington
Baxter: Jimmy’s not even the richest buy at Seminole Golf Club, not even close; Perhaps on the next LIV “broadcast” Jerry Foltz will spit out: “As Greg and Baxter say: It’s good for the players, it’s good for the fans it’s good for the game!”
And you’re telling me the 19th ranked player in the world is a “Titan Of Golf” Come on Baxter, you’re better than that, at least I thought you were….Bryson, with one major a “Titan Of Golf”? Baxter, I’m so disappointed in you…
baxter cepeda
Oh sorry I didn’t know we were on Seminole-rich standards now.
And I’m sorry you feel that way T.
But I’d love to get a shout out from Jerry.
“Titans” is a strong word but I’m just saying these boys are strong. I’m thinking about the success of the last Ryder cup rolling up with this 3 headed bomber monster of classic American (golf) bruisers.
Love them or hate them— another thing to miss about them is that they have some personality to love or hate unlike the average tour pro.
The 3 absolutely will be missed. Monahan said so himself.
This is the part that disappoints me with you, Tom, sounding so bitter disparaging star players.
These guys are pioneers as the first golf free agents and they are getting 9 figures. That kinda says it all.
As always I really don’t get why writers love to write great athletes off. They always look so foolish after.
We have to accept the new reality. Star Players today are wanting more guaranteed money, needing less work, and wishing not be distracted with manini drama at the majors.
Suddenly they are getting everything they want. Except maybe the chance to focus at the majors. But that will come also.
Tom Edrington
Dustin Johnson: Nearing the big Four-Oh, fading star who truth be known, doesn’t like practicing that hard anymore; Brooks: Never really liked golf, wanted to be a baseball player but despite what he said, did it for the money, various injuries have affected him — no majors since when? surly demeanor, horrible interview (except when he boasted to Golf Digest about catching or passing Tiger’s 15 majors); Bryson, not well liked by other players. Berger was an unlikely Ryder Cup pick, drafted to play with Koepka because no one else wanted to play with that guy. Reed — proven cheater; I’ve been polling my circle of golf fanatics, all long-time tournament players here in Tampa Bay and asked about these three — none of them will miss them. Baxter, I’m sorry you support an entity being bankrolled by a Regime that beheaded 81 of its citizens in March, persecutes Christians within the Regime, kills and dismembers one of their citizens who worked for the Washington Post and wrote critical essays regarding the Regime. The Regime that is so evil, it does not want questions asked about it at these LIV events, pulls reporters out of the room who ask them……those are your guys, you stick with them, I’ll stick with mine. Sorry your values consider that Regime as a legitimate “owner” of a golf tour; At some point, all the major governing bodies will unite…..yes, they were allowed in the majors for now but once the Saudis continue to basically BUY the sport of golf with no efforts to grow the game on grassroots levels, the governing bodies will unite against them. I know you think they won’t but it will start when they don’t receive ranking points. A tour has to be in existence for at least a year before applications are even considered. Sooooooo, the there’s your timeline. Per the OWGR organization, they won’t even have to take it into consideration until the LIV has been running for at least 12 months. The LIV guys who have exemptions into majors, those may or may not be honored in 2023, it’s a wait-and-see proposition. As for those who are not, guys like Na and the rest — they may never get to play in another major unless they go through ALL levels of qualifying for the US Open or Open Championship.