Chase Koepka was in danger of being relegated from the LIV Golf setup, and his captain and Smash GC brother, Brooks, did not receive any advice until the final round in Jeddah.
Brooks Koepka has told his younger brother and Smash teammate GC Chase that there is nothing he can do to improve his chances of avoiding relegation from LIV Golf.
Chase is one of a number of LIV players facing relegation after a difficult 2023 season. Going into the final week of the season, the 29-year-old fell into the drop zone after earning just one point in the whole year.
The brother of the five-time major champion was looking forward to a huge performance in Jeddah this weekend, but once again struggled to find form as he found himself tied for 44th place. at two over par with 18 holes remaining.
Meanwhile, older brother Brooks is enjoying another impressive week on the field as he leads Saudi Arabia at minus-12, giving him a three-shot advantage heading into Sunday’s final round. He took the lead with a perfect under-par 62 on Saturday to move closer to defending his LIV Jeddah title.
After a hot performance in round two, Brooks was asked about his brother’s contrasting situation in the rankings, to which he replied:
“I mean, there’s nothing I can do. Ultimately, it’s up to him.”
The PGA champion later revealed that Chase had been going through a rough patch with his game, but he couldn’t fault his efforts. “I know he works hard,” he added. “I know he tried. We practiced together quite a bit. To be honest, he’s struggling a bit.
“I was there. We’ve all been there. All the golfers were there. That’s part of it. Look at him, he was playing a little round of golf 16 months ago. I don’t think the last year and a half has been too bad for him. » After a three-over 73 on Friday, Chase showed some improvement in the second round, shooting a under-par 69.
However, he will enter Sunday’s final round with an almost certain fate as one of LIV’s stars occupying the relegation spot. Chase’s hopes of competing on the breakaway tour will not be lost as he gets the chance to play in the Saudi-backed tournament’s 72-hole relegation playoff this winter.
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