Brooks Koepka compares LIV Golf team format to "fun" college days

Four-time major champion Brooks Koepka referred to his college golf days when comparing the fun he's had while playing in a team on the LIV Golf Tour.

Matt Chivers

26 Oct 2022

Brooks Koepka compares to LIV Golf team format to "fun" college days

LIV Golf's Brooks Koepka had to recall his college days to remember a time when a team format was "so much fun."

Koepka, who won the Jeddah Invitational by beating Peter Uihlein in a playoff, believes the team format of LIV Golf has "revived" him, following a period of injury frustration.

The 32-year-old played golf for Florida State University where he won three events. He was a four-time All-American and a two-time ACC Golfer of the Year selection.

Koepka, a four-time major champion, is now ineligible to play in the Ryder Cup after moving to the LIV Golf Tour. He has played for America in three Ryder Cups, being on the winning side in 2016 and 2021.

Nonetheless, he is now thriving on the Saudi-backed series with his brother Chase. Smash GC won the LIV Golf Jeddah Invitational, banking $750,000 each in the process.

Koepka told the media:

"Honestly, to me, the big thing was getting the team win.

"The team thing has revived me. It’s been special. You’re fighting for somebody else other than just yourself, and I think that’s really cool. Maybe [in] college was the last time we’ve seen it. And those wins in college were so much fun."

His win at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club was his first on the new series. Koepka became emotional as this was his first win since winning the Waste Management Phoenix Open on the PGA Tour in early 2021.

Before victory and since then, he has undergone a medical procedure on his knee, experienced dislocation and ligament damage, as well as problems with his hip and wrist.

Koepka added:

"They haven’t been fun. So, it’s been a long road. I’m super excited. My whole team, we got the band back together, literally, a couple of months ago. We got Claude back on the team; and Pete - I’ve worked with Pete very, very hard; and Jeff as well. So a shout-out to them. This is for them," he said.

"Yeah - I didn’t know if my career was over for a half-second. So to be able to - I told Claude I wasn’t sure I was going to play. So it’s nice to be able to come back and be able to win."