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Paolo Uggetti, ESPN
HOYLAKE, England — Brooks Koepka, trying to find his first Open Championship win and sixth main as speak of the PGA Tour’s framework settlement with the Public Funding Fund of Saudi Arabia hangs within the air, mentioned Tuesday there is not any division between him and different gamers who didn’t go to LIV Golf.
“I believe all people thinks simply because there is a divide with LIV and the PGA Tour that the gamers are literally divided,” mentioned Koepka, a five-time main champion. “I do not assume that is the case in any respect.”
Koepka has a very pleasant relationship with Rory McIlroy, who has spearheaded the pro-PGA Tour motion over the previous yr and lately mentioned he would quite retire than play with LIV.
“If LIV Golf was the final place to play golf on Earth, I’d retire. That is how I really feel about it,” McIlroy mentioned on the Scottish Open final week. “I would play the majors, however I would be fairly comfy.”
Although separated by the selections they made final yr, Koepka mentioned he and McIlroy usually observe and spend time collectively.
“We have at all times been associates,” Koepka mentioned. “And he is instructed me some stuff that is gone on with him that I actually admire. He is opened up.”
The friendship between two gamers who’ve mixed to win 9 majors stands in stark distinction to a number of the early animosity that surrounded gamers’ selections to go away for LIV. Koepka as soon as once more reiterated Tuesday that he has no regrets, however he did say that, as a soon-to-be father, he didn’t make his determination to go away the PGA Tour based mostly on potential monetary flexibility and the flexibility to spend time together with his household.
“My job has nothing to do with my household,” Koepka mentioned.
The 2023 PGA Championship winner was not focused on dealing in what-ifs and hypotheticals about what is going to occur to LIV Golf or the golf world on the whole because the framework settlement between the 2 events stays unsolved. Koepka did say that, although he anticipated some type of coming collectively of each events ultimately, he was shocked by the timing of the deal.
“I hear the information. I see the information. There’s lots of — I do not wish to say the rumors. Perhaps not every thing is true, possibly this, possibly that,” Koepka mentioned. “There’s lots of completely different situations. Nevertheless it actually would not matter till every thing is particular.”
When requested whether or not he thought LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman — who, in response to paperwork launched by the U.S. Senate Everlasting Subcommittee on Investigations, was attempting to be compelled out by PGA Tour officers — has accomplished a superb job managing every thing, Koepka opted for a characteristically tepid response.
“I believe he is accomplished fantastic,” he mentioned. “For everyone else, it is as much as them. All people is allowed to interpret it alternative ways.”
