Brooks Koepka’s Turbulent Start at LIV Dallas

Brooks Koepka, the LIV Golf star and member of Smash GC, had a rocky first round at LIV Dallas on Friday. The 35-year-old golfer didn’t hold back on the ninth hole, where a poor drive led him to break his club in frustration.

After smashing his club, he took out some of his anger on a tee marker, which didn’t stand a chance against his swing. It seems tensions were running high during that round.

Struggling significantly, Koepka ended the first round over six after just eight holes. He ultimately had to step back from the game due to feeling unwell and was replaced by reserve player Luis Carrera. There’s some talk about Koepka returning this weekend, but any scores he makes will only count towards his team’s total.

In comparison, Koepka performed better at the US Open just earlier this month, finishing six over par and placing 12th. This came after having won the event in both 2017 and 2018. Golf can be a real rollercoaster, can’t it?

Interestingly, Koepka has enjoyed a successful career overall, claiming the PGA Championship titles in 2018, 2019, and 2023, along with nine wins on the PGA Tour before making the shift to LIV in June 2022. According to data from the PGA Tour, it appears he’s earned nearly $44 million across 186 events.

As the season progresses, Koepka’s performances have varied. Last year, he notably won twice, becoming the first LIV golfer to achieve five wins since the league’s inception. By the end of the first round at LIV Dallas, Harold Varner III from GC was leading the pack.