DORAL – For those who believe there’s a chance Brooks Koepka and Matthew Wolff will salvage their relationship, Koepka’s comments Wednesday before LIV Golf’s season-ending team championship slammed the doors shut. that door.
Forever.
Koepka does not deny his feelings for Wolff, who, like Koepka, lives in Jupiter. And it was dug again on Wednesday. Now Wolff, who remains on Koepka’s LIV team, will be paired with Brooks’ brother Chase in the four-man event on Friday.
“We don’t have much interaction, no,” Brooks said.
When pushed, he elaborated.
“I’ve tried. I’ve spent majority of the beginning of the year trying to help and trying to figure that out. But I think it’s past its point. I tried. I’ve been very open about it. Sometimes you can’t help people who don’t want it. a lot of talent but “this talent is wasted”. » That was after Wolff withdrew from the LIV event in Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C.
Last week, at the LIV event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which Koepka won, he was asked about “There are only three of us on the team” and explained that he enjoys being with Chase and Kokrak to What level?
At this time, Brooks Koepka may be looking for two new members for the 2024 season. Chase is 48th in the individual points standings and will be relegated. His only path back to LIV is through a full promotional event that will take place in December.
Brooks is third in the final individual standings, Kokrak 23rd and Wolff 2nd 27.
Wolff was approached by a reporter Wednesday after Koepka’s comments, but he didn’t pause, shaking his head before a question was asked. But in a recent interview with the Palm Beach Post, ahead of the events in Jeddah and Doral – and the Ryder Cup – Wolff said the Koepka controversy was behind him.
He added that he thought Koepka deserved a spot on the Ryder Cup team.
Wolff, 24, has been outspoken about his mental health struggles, at one point saying it was difficult to get out of bed and that he was afraid of playing tournaments. He said he didn’t want to “make a mistake in front of everyone”.
It was the beginning of 2021.
“Golf is really difficult,” Wolff told the Post last month. “Growing up it was really easy for me, the competition was easier. In a professional setting, it’s hard in front of everyone with all that pressure knowing you’re not going to play well every single time.
“It’s something that I struggled with a little bit coming from college and junior golf where you won everything you entered pretty much, and transitioning into (professional golf.) These guys are the best in the world, and even if you play decent you might get whacked. It’s more of a roller coaster, and handling that is something I’m certain to learn and grow into a little bit.”
Despite the harsh, and insensitive, comments from Koepka, Wolff still believes that LIV’s team format has eliminated some of that pressure he felt playing in isolation on the PGA Tour.
“Pro golf is a lonely place,” Wolff said. “You don’t really feel like you have many people, at least I didn’t feel like that before. When I switched to LIV, I felt like a lot of people were caring and supporting me.
“Just lighten the load on your shoulders a little and you’ve got a team to lean on and look up to guys,
All of which makes Koepka’s comments even more coldhearted. Wolff might deserve some blame for this relationship souring, but anything that has happened off the course, during team meetings, does not warrant Koepka’s public comments about a teammate who has had personal struggles
Regardless of where Smash finishes in the team championship — Koepka’s team faces HyFlyers, captained by Phil Mickelson, in Friday’s quarterfinals on the Blue Monster with Koepka and Mickelson going head-to-head in match play — Koepka already has secured a solid season over all platforms.
Koepka captured his fifth career major at the PGA Championship, was runner-up at the Masters and was the only LIV golfer to play in the Ryder Cup. His victory at Jeddah was his second on the LIV tour this season along with three other top-five finishes.
Koepka, who recently became a dad for the first time, has won $17.5 million in prize money from LIV, including a $4 million bonus for placing third in the individual standings. His PGA Tour earnings for the four majors was just more than $5 million.
His most lucrative years previously were 2019 and 2022 when he earned just more than $9.5 million.
“I definitely feel like I’m back to my old self,” he said after winning Jeddah.
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