Brooks Koepka has arrived at the LIV group championships in Miami.
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At this level, it’s secure to say that Brooks Koepka and Matthew Wolff is not going to be exchanging Christmas playing cards.
In truth, as we strategy the season-ending LIV Golf group championships in Miami this weekend, it could depend as one thing of a shock in the event that they even exchanged scorecards.
Yes, the Wolff/Koepka drama has been probably the most intriguing subplots of this LIV Golf season — and when you’ve been too busy listening to golf’s nice struggle to concentrate to this admittedly petty Cold War, nicely, let’s catch you up.
At the start of this yr, Koepka acquired Wolff to his LIV Golf franchise, Smash GC, with the hope that the younger golfer would blossom right into a star beneath his tutelage. The two golfers shared clothes sponsorships with Nike and had overlapped in related circles within the years previous the formation of LIV. At the time of his acquisition, Wolff’s recreation gave the impression to be headed in the precise course. He had struggled by some darkish occasions on the PGA Tour and in his first season with LIV with Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers, however a handful of robust finishes, together with a runner-up at the 2020 U.S. Open, served as proof of a star skillset that wanted molding. And what higher individual to be taught from than a five-time main champ like Koepka?
As finest we all know, the meat between the 2 golfers began someday round LIV’s Washington D.C. occasion in May, a event that led to a Wolff WD. Wolff, a one-time prodigy who has been candid concerning the psychological well being struggles which have come with the pressures of enjoying professional golf, pulled out of the event after taking pictures 6 over on Saturday. Evidently that annoyed Koepka, whose Smash GC have been left shorthanded throughout Sunday’s closing spherical en path to a last-place end in that weekend’s group competitors.
That weekend, Smash GC pulled Wolff off its advertising materials, and Koepka gave an interview to Sports Illustrated blasting his teammate for what he perceived as missing effort and dedication.
“I’ve basically given up on him,” Koepka stated then. “A lot of talent, but I mean the talent’s wasted.”
The months since that interplay have yielded little or no from the 2 golfers. Koepka has uncared for to say a lot past his strikingly candid interview with SI, watching as his Smash GC has fallen into eighth place out of 12 groups. Meanwhile, Wolff’s on-course struggles have piled as much as the tune of 4 over-par finishes in six begins.
It appeared as if the season would fade quietly into the rearview, leaving either side the prospect to get a recent begin within the new yr. But then got here final weekend’s LIV occasion in Jeddah, when Koepka was requested concerning the state of his group heading into the group championships … and elected to fireplace one other broadside.
“There’s only three of us on our team,” he stated, clearly alluding to Wolff’s latest struggles and ostracization from the group. “I mean, obviously, my brother, I’m pretty tight with him and then — I’ve enjoyed being around Jay [Kokrak] for the last — I’ve been pretty close with Jay for maybe the last three years.”
Those phrases got here throughout as a shock to the media in attendance, a lot in order that no one bothered to observe up with one other query. That is, till Thursday morning in Miami, when Koepka stepped in entrance of the lectern.
Doral represented a novel alternative for Koepka and Wolff to fix fences. As the house of LIV’s group championship, Koepka could be answerable for pairing up his 4 gamers into two singles matches and an alternate shot match. If Smash received two of three matches in opposition to the Hyflyers, they might advance to the subsequent spherical of the league’s group championship. In brief, Brooks would wish everybody on board, particularly after he’d paired Wolff with his brother, Chase — leaving himself and Jason Kokrak to play singles matches.
Finally, because the questions concerning the group championship light, a reporter requested Koepka immediately about his relationship with Wolff. If the pair had made amends, it positive didn’t sound prefer it.
‘There’s solely 3 of us’: Brooks Koepka exhibits no mercy in criticism of teammate Matthew Wolff
Nick Dimengo
“It’s the same thing as every week,” Brooks stated, sounding irritated. “He’s only in control of what he can do.”
The reporter adopted up. Had Brooks provided any recommendation for his group’s youngest participant this week?
“No, I don’t have much interaction with him.”
Did Koepka really feel it was necessary for him to be shut with Wolff, contemplating they’re nonetheless teammates?
“I’ve tried. I’ve spent a majority of the beginning of the year trying to help and trying to figure that out, and I think it’s past its point,” he stated. “I’ve tried, I’ve been very open with it.”
Then, as he punctuated his closing level, Koepka provided his most damning criticism to this point.
“Sometimes you can’t help people that don’t want help.”
In different phrases, it might be a state of affairs past salvaging for either side. But does that imply the fireworks are over?
We’ve received three days left within the season to search out out.
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