Golf Pro Brooks Koepka blasted the sports media for obsessively asking questions about the new Saudi-backed LIV golf league and letting that story intrude on coverage of the PGA-backed U.S. Open.
Koepka opened both barrels on the media during comments Tuesday at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, just ahead of Thursday’s first round of the 2022 U.S. Open.
The 32-year-old pro has not shut the door on jumping over to the LIV league, but he is also still officially with the PGA Tour. But one thing is sure, he’s sick and tired of the sports media ruining the U.S. Open with its constant harping on the LIV.
“I think it kind of sucks, too, y’all are throwing this black cloud over the U.S. Open,” Koepka said, according to NESN. “I mean, it’s one of my favorite events, and I don’t know why you guys keep doing that. But the more legs you give it, the more you keep talking about it.”
Even after that point, the media kept asking him about the Saudi-backed league.
Brooks Koepka at the 18th green at The Masters (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
“I don’t understand. I’m trying to focus on the U.S. Open, man. I legitimately don’t get it. I’m tired of the conversations. I’m tired of all this stuff,” he exclaimed. “Like I said, y’all are throwing a black cloud on the U.S. Open. I think that sucks. I actually do feel bad for them for once, because it’s a (expletive) situation. We’re here to play, and you are talking about an event that happened last week.”
Koepka’s brother, Chase, has already abandoned the PGA Tour for the LIV and played in its inaugural tournament. And Brooks hinted that he was not happy with the PGA, too.
In a comment last week, Brooks seemed resigned but perhaps not entirely happy with the PGA Tour, and when he was asked about his place in pro golf, he replied, “I mean, there’s been no other option to this point, so where else are you going to go?”
Brooks is far from the only golfer to be hounded about the LIV league. Golf great Phil Mickelson, who jumped the PGA ship last week, has been blasted by the media for jumping in with the LIV.
Phil Mickelson at the U.S. Open press conference (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
For his part, though, Mickelson still sees no reason why golfers can’t play in both leagues and said he still hopes to be able to return to the PGA Tour for select tournaments.
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