Ahead of Showdown, Brooks Koepka envisions LIV v PGA ‘Ryder Cup style’
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Brooks Koepka wants to see more of the best players from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf compete against each other.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LAS VEGAS – Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau are ready to up the stakes of The Showdown – a Dec 17 exhibition in Las Vegas between the LIV Golf pairing and PGA Tour stars Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.
“All of us can align and bring something bigger and better so we can have a couple more times where... we can see most of the best players from both sides competing, more against each other,” said Koepka, who left the PGA Tour for LIV’s inaugural season in 2022 for a contract worth more than US$100 million (S$134 million).
He added that a competitive match next week “could transcend golf”, pointing to percolating discussions of progress in the PGA-LIV merger talks that have yet to come to a conclusion.
Opportunities for LIV Golf players to directly compete with PGA Tour members have been limited due to the existing pathway to qualification for golf’s Majors.
Koepka, a five-time Major champion, and DeChambeau, who won the US Open in 2024 for the second time, have accumulated Majors, but others without the benefit of World Golf Rankings points awarded to PGA Tour players face a qualifying process.
Next week’s match is being held at Shadow Creek Golf Course, the top-ranked public-access golf course in Nevada and borrows from Ryder Cup formats.
Singles match-ups are unclear but the national TV broadcast will be a blending of 18 holes in three segments – best ball for six holes, alternate shot on the second six and singles matches for the duration of the match.
Koepka said a tweaked Showdown approach could feature a “LIV v PGA Tour, Ryder Cup-style thing”, adding: “This is growing into a big thing and I think that’s what would draw the fans.”
DeChambeau’s popularity exploded over the past two years with a YouTube channel golf fans of all ages are flocking to, but LIV Golf events are not the same attraction as PGA Tour tournaments.
“I truly think you’ve got the biggest figure in golf in Bryson and then one of the (players with the) most Majors. We want to beat them, we want to showcase to the world we’re the top two dogs,” Koepka added.
Scheffler and McIlroy, meanwhile, received PGA Tour waivers to participate in the event next week.
Adding context to his greater point, Koepka said only avid LIV and DeChambeau fans grasp how great he played last season.
World No. 1 Scheffler, who shot 25-under 263 to win the Hero World Challenge last week, showed no signs of rust or decline after a nine-win season, including the 2024 Masters, and a gold medal at the Paris Olympics. But DeChambeau and Koepka were involved in only four of those tournaments.
“Scottie had a hell of a year. I think it’s arguably one of the best years the tour has ever seen,” Koepka said.
“Bryson had a hell of a year – he played 10 times better than I did. I played with him enough to know what he could have done on the PGA Tour. I think we would have put up a good fight (against Scheffler).” REUTERS
