Brooks Koepka reveals reasoning for leaving PGA Tour

Feb 25, 2022; Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA; Brooks Koepka watches after completing the sixth hole during the second round of The Honda Classic golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Brooks Koepka officially left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf earlier in June and received backlash from a notable PGA Tour star about going back on his initial commitment to the Tour. On Tuesday, Koepka gave his reasoning for defecting to the Saudi-backed golf league.

Koepka shared with reporters that him changing his mind about joining LIV was due to his opinion changing. He also gave a major reason for his decision to leave the Tour.

“What I’ve had to go through the last two years on my knees, the pain, the rehab, all this stuff, you realize, you know, I need a little bit more time off,” Koepka said via ESPN’s Mark Schlabach. “I’ll be the first one to say it: It’s not been an easy last couple of years, and I think having a little more breaks, a little more time at home to make sure I’m 100% before I go play in an event and don’t feel like I’m forced to play right away [is good].”

Koepka, 32, should have plenty of time to take care of his body now that he’s off the Tour. LIV golf events are 54-hole tournaments played over three days. By comparison, the PGA Tour has four-day, 72-hole tournaments. The league also uses shotgun starts, meaning that golfers start at the same time but on different tees. This reduces the amount of time that a round takes to complete. LIV golfers, including Koepka, are also barred from playing in one major European Tour event. That’s one less event that he has to prepare his body to play in.

This week, Koepka will play in LIV’s first United States-based event, which is taking place in Portland, Ore.