Four-time major champion Brooks Koepka is the latest golfer to defect from the PGA Tour to the LIV Golf Invitational Series, sources have confirmed to ESPN.
Koepka, 32, is one of the highest-profile players to join the breakaway circuit, which is being funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and is fronted by two-time Open winner Greg Norman.
LIV Golf is expected to announce the addition of Koepka in the coming days, sources have confirmed. Koepka, who is ranked 19th in the Official World Golf Ranking, is expected to compete in the first LIV Golf event in the United States, at Pumpkin Ridge in Portland, Oregon, starting June 30.
Koepka’s pending departure from the PGA Tour was first reported Tuesday by the Telegraph of London.
A source confirmed that Abraham Ancer, who is ranked 20th in the world, also is leaving the PGA Tour for LIV Golf.
LIV Golf has now signed eight of the top 50 players in the world; Bryson DeChambeau (ranked 30th) and Patrick Reed (38th) are expected to compete in the event in Portland as well.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan suspended 17 players, including Johnson and six-time major winner Phil Mickelson, for competing in LIV Golf’s inaugural event outside London two weeks ago. Monahan had said that tour players who competed in future LIV Golf tournaments without a conflicting-event release would face similar punishment.
Monahan is meeting with players Tuesday morning at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut. The PGA Tour’s players advisory council also was meeting Tuesday.
Monahan is scheduled to speak with media Wednesday.
In 2019, Koepka became the first player in history to hold back-to-back victories in two major championships simultaneously; he won the U.S. Open in 2017-18 and the PGA Championship in 2018-19.
Koepka joins his brother, Chase, who competed in the London-based LIV event. His longtime friend, two-time major champion Dustin Johnson, also signed with LIV Golf.
Koepka was the No. 1 player in the world…
Source : espn
