After a Frustrating Few Years, Brooks Koepka Gets Satisfying LIV Golf Win
KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY, Saudi Arabia — As one of LIV Golf’s biggest and most controversial signees, Brooks Koepka proved more disappointment than delight, struggling through his first four months in the new series without contending.
For a four-time major champion who not that long ago was ranked No. 1 in the world, it was a frustrating time, not helped by nagging injuries that have seen his play suffer over the past two years.
Koepka, 32, changed that storyline on Sunday by outlasting his buddy Peter Uihlein in a three-hole sudden death playoff to capture the LIV Golf Invitational Series Jeddah.
“I didn’t want to play if I couldn’t do it the way I should,’’ Koepka said after winning $4 million for the victory plus another $750,000 for his Smash GC team win alongside teammates Uihlein, Jason Kokrak and his brother, Chase. “So I’m very fortunate to be able to do this right now.’’
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Koepka and Uihlein outlasted several players including Sergio Garcia, Joaquin Niemann and Paul Casey, all who were tied for the lead at some point during the round.
Playing in the final group with Uihlein and Charl Schwartzel, they each birdied the 18th hole, with Koepka shooting 69 and Uihlein 70. Both players then birdied the par-5 18th playoff hole twice, before Uihlein knocked a bunker shot over the green into a lake on the third hole, effectively ending it as Koepka made another birdie.
In a scene that could likely only play out on LIV Golf, the duo played the last playoff hole with lights on at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club—which has a lighted back nine due to oppressive heat in Saudi Arabia.
Although it was likely they could have finished in the gloaming without the help, it was but another added twist to LIV Golf, which also saw the team standings set for the season-ending team championship in Miami in two weeks.
Uihlein was in contention for second place in the overall individual standings that were locked up last week by Dustin Johnson, who won a $18 million bonus. Second place was worth $8 million and third $4 million. That meant the difference between first and second for Uihlein was $5,875,000 between the individual and bonus amounts.
By finishing third behind Branden Grace in the individual portion of the season-long series, Uihlein got $4 million plus $2,125,000 for finishing second at Jeddah.
The money is dizzying, and it’s a long way removed from the days when Koepka and Uihlein shared a home together with another friend in South Florida as they were embarking on their pro careers.
They also roomed together to save money when playing on the Challenge Tour in Europe, where Koepka went after playing at Florida State. Uihlein beat him there by about six months, a former U.S. Amateur champion who has not enjoyed the kind of pro success envisioned. He has not won on the PGA Tour.
“The only option was to go play Challenge Tour (in Europe) for me,” Koepka recalled. “I wasn’t a big name. I wasn’t going to get any starts. It was the only option I had if I wanted to get out and be one of the best players in the world.
“I thought that was the best way to do it, and watching (Uihlein) do it made it easier, knowing somebody that was over there. … I still think it’s probably the most fun I’ve had playing golf, 2012 to 2014 playing in Europe. Got to travel the world, and to get to do it for a living, I think it’s pretty cool.’’
They ended up sharing a place together in South Florida for about four years.
“We were just starting our careers, so it was kind of fun. We were just trying to get our feet wet,” Uihlein said. “The way our schedules worked out, we were home together a lot and we were on the road together. It was just fun. We were a lot younger, different part of our lives. We just had a good time.”
Koepka went on to win the 2017 and 2018 U.S. Opens as well as the 2018 and 2019 PGA Championships. Later that year, he suffered a left knee injury when he slipped on a cart path. Last year, a month prior to the Masters, Koepka has an accident at home in which he dislocated his right knee.
He’s had numerous struggles since, missing the cut at the Masters and the British Open this year and finishing 55th at both the PGA and the U.S. Open.
He joined LIV Golf after the U.S. Open and his best finish prior to Sunday was ninth last week in Thailand.
Uihlein has found some comfort in LIV Golf, having played in the final group of the last round three times. Getting one of the top individual spots was a big step for him, despite not winning.
“I’m a lot happier out here than I have been the last five years playing the (PGA) Tour,’’ he said. “The team aspect of it I like. I was never really a fan of the lone-wolf type of thing that we had to do. But being part of a team, practicing, hanging out, kind of like college. It resonates with me and really sticks with me.’’
The top four teams in the season competition receive a bye for the first day in Miami starting on Oct. 28. Teams five through 12 will meet that day with the winners advancing to Saturday play. The season-ending competition has a $50 million purse.