Brooks Koepka is ready for his payday.
The four-time major winner is the latest big-name golfer to defect from the PGA Tour for the guaranteed money that comes with joining the LIV Golf tour, according to multiple reports. Telegraph Sport reported the news early Tuesday morning, and it was confirmed by ESPN.com shortly thereafter.
LIV Golf has yet to make the news official, but according to reports, Koepka is expected to make his debut next week. He’ll likely be in the field when LIV makes its American debut at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Oregon. What’s unknown at the moment is just how much upfront money Koepka will make to join LIV.
Koepka is certainly one of the biggest names on the developing roster for LIV. He joins the likes of Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed and Sergio Garcia on the Saudi Arabia-backed tour.
He’s not the first Koepka to join up, though. His brother, Chase, was part of the field at the inaugural event earlier this month in London. Despite that obvious connection, the elder Koepka bristled at the idea of joining LIV when peppered with questions prior to the U.S. Open last week.
“I think it kind of sucks, too, ya’ll are throwing this black cloud over the U.S. Open,” Brooks Koepka said at The Country Club. “I mean, it’s one of my favorite events, and I don’t know why you guys keep doing that. But the more legs you give it, the more you keep talking about it.”
It’s expected even more PGA Tour players will make the move. Abraham Ancer is also reportedly set to defect this week.
