Of the PGA Tour defectors who left for LIV Golf, perhaps Brooks Koepka is the most polarizing of them all. Never afraid to speak what's on his mind, Koepka hasn't backed down from those criticizing his and other golfers' decisions to join the new league.
This week's PGA Championship provides Koepka another opportunity to prove his move correct and capture a fourth title in the event. As the defending champion, there will be a target on Koepka's back, but majors are where he thrives the most.
What's behind Koepka turning up his game for the year's four major championships? Even the man himself doesn’t have the exact answer.
During his pre-tournament press conference on Wednesday, Koepka was asked why he's found so much success at the PGA Championship.
“No idea, man. I just like majors,” Koepka said, per ClutchPoints' Michael Corvo.
As simple and as cool as you like, just as Koepka looks on the course most of the time. Not only does Koepka have a chance to defend his 2023 PGA Championship win, but a victory at Valhalla Golf Club over the weekend would make him only the second golfer to win the event in consecutive years on two separate occasions.
Koepka stood above the rest of the field in 2018 and 2019, winning PGA Player of the Year in both years. Tiger Woods won the PGA Championship in 1999 and 2000, then again in 2006 and 2007.
A fourth PGA Championship title would also make Koepka the fourth golfer to win at least four, with Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Walter Hagen.
Koepka focused on competing at the top
On the back of his worst post-cut Masters finish in April, Brooks Koepka is dialed in on putting together a good performance at the PGA Championship. Putting aside the ongoing negotiations to merge the PGA Tour and LIV Golf – and all the questions that come with both tour's players competing against each other in majors – Koepka seems to be a man on a mission this week.
“I'm just looking forward to a major championship. That's kind of my — gets my excitement going. Something I look forward to all year,” Koepka said, per Reuters.
“So yeah, look, I always enjoy competing against these guys, and anytime you get the best, it's always good, and you just want them to play their best, too. You want to go out and win it.”
A big storyline entering the event is the recent play of Koepka paired with that of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, the top two ranked golfers on the planet. All three have tournament wins over the last month and are among the favorites to win this week's PGA Championship.
Koepka earned his first LIV Golf win of the year in Singapore earlier this month. It was his second win on the tour following his triumph at the PGA Championship last year.
When he's at the top of his game, Brooks Koepka is as close to a must-watch as any golfer is. There is plenty of reason to believe that will be the case this weekend with the 34-year-old in a prime position to compete for another Wanamaker Trophy.
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