Brooks Koepka stands mere hours away from teeing off at LIV Golf’s 2025 season opener in Riyadh. The floodlit tournament brings a fresh start. His 2024 campaign showcased impressive numbers—two victories, five top-10 finishes, and $11.6 million in earnings. Yet for the five-time major champion, success in professional golf follows a different measuring stick. His standards have remained unchanged since his PGA Tour days. Major championships define greatness!
Historically, Koepka’s major championship prowess defined his career trajectory. From 2018 to 2023, he clinched five major titles. His wins included back-to-back U.S. Opens and three PGA Championships. Moreover, his most recent major victory at Oak Hill in 2023 solidified his reputation as golf’s premier big-game player. This context makes his 2024 major performances particularly striking. But the Okeeheelee Kid still seems dissatisfied.
The missing majors
His recent Instagram post exposes a lingering frustration. “If you are consistent and you’re consistently at the top, it makes it a lot easier, right?” The cryptic message directly addresses his major championship void. Koepka’s assessment of his 2024 campaign proves equally unequivocal. “The majors were terrible. I put a lot of emphasis on those, and just cutting those wasn’t—that’s how I judge my year,” he admitted. When pressed about his two LIV Golf victories and substantial earnings, he responded tersely: “Not enough.” His frustration stemmed from disappointing showings across all four majors. His best result came at the PGA Championship. There, he tied for 26th place at -9. This finish stood far below his triumphant 2023 victory at Oak Hill.
In contrast, his LIV Golf performances tell a different story. Notably, in Singapore, he dominated with consistent rounds. Throughout the tournament, he shot -5, -7, and -3 to finish at -15. Subsequently, this secured a two-stroke victory over Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman. Following this success at Greenbrier, his excellence continued. Ultimately, he prevailed in a playoff against Jon Rahm, with both finishing at an impressive -19.
While Koepka’s relationship with major championships remains his primary focus, his stance toward LIV Golf’s success presents a stark contrast to fellow competitors who have fully embraced the new tour.
Brooks Koepka charts a different path to LIV Tour success
Meanwhile, fellow LIV Golf star Jon Rahm fully embraced his transition to the tour. Throughout 2024, Rahm won two events. Additionally, he claimed the individual championship. As a result, his earnings soared to $34.7 million. Nevertheless, Koepka’s focus remained steadfastly fixed on major championship glory. Consequently, his dedication to majors consistently overshadowed regular season achievements.
Looking ahead to 2025, Koepka has already initiated significant changes. Initially, he parted ways with longtime swing coach Claude Harmon III. Subsequently, he began working with Pete Cowen and Jeff Pierce. Together, their focus centers specifically on refining his short game and putting. Undoubtedly, this decision underscores his unwavering pursuit of major championships.
“I think what guys are used to…But I think the big thing that kind of separates me is my ability to lock in and go someplace where I think a lot of guys can’t go,” Koepka asserted. Historically, this mental fortitude has delivered five major championships. Currently, he is preparing intensively for the 2025 major. Therefore, the question naturally lingers: Can Brooks Koepka recapture his major championship dominance?
What are your thoughts on Koepka’s pursuit of major glory? Share your perspectives in the comments below.
