Brooks Koepka Defends LIV Golf Jeddah Title As Talor Gooch Scoops $18 Million

Brooks Koepka has defended his LIV Golf Jeddah title after triumphing in a playoff over the LIV Golf League Individual champion for 2023 - Talor Gooch.

Koepka was the champion at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City in 2022 after seeing off close friend Peter Uihlein via extra holes. And the American ensured history repeated itself 12 months later with victory over Gooch at the second playoff hole in Saudi Arabia.

It was a win that could have arrived sooner for Koepka had he managed to pour an outside eagle chance in to reach 15-under on the par-five 18th. But after sending his third shot a good eight feet past down the hill, the four-time Major winner faced a tricky return putt for birdie to draw alongside Gooch at 14-under.

He showed all of his experience and composure to find the bottom of the cup, though, and following a birdie apiece for both he and Gooch in the opening playoff hole, Koepka watched on as the Range Goats’ man failed to land an equalising putt of his own.

Koepka’s second victory in Saudi Arabia was the 33-year-old’s first win as a dad - following the recent birth of his son, Crew in late July - and the American was full of pride when asked what it meant to him.

Koepka said: “I never thought of that, that’s pretty cool. I’m excited to get home, go see Crew, go see Jena. I’m kind of emotional right now thinking about it. But yeah, it’s a cool feeling - I’m super excited.”

The new father had even more reasons to feel “super excited” in Saudi Arabia on Sunday after scooping $4 million for winning the lone event plus another $4 million for nicking third spot from Bryson DeChambeau in the season-long race as a result.

Having not realised his second paycheck was due until informed by reporters after the winning moment, Koepka nonchalantly replied: “Sweet, that’s a good feeling, thanks for breaking that news!”

The golfing King of Jeddah then went on to share his assessment of the final few holes and the vital moment on 18 - a hole he had failed to birdie until Sunday.

Koepka said: “I felt like I still had some chances coming in. At the time, I was like “you’ve got a birdie chance at 17 and 18. I’m glad the way things turned out. I don’t think anyone has played this 18th hole more than I have, so just glad to finish it off well there.”

While Gooch had every right to feel disappointed by coming up short in the penultimate LIV Golf event of 2023, the Oklahoma-born golfer could take plenty of solace from his form across the season and also in the $18 million dollar check he secured as a result of his annual display.

Three season victories - including two in a row back in April - helped Gooch claim the individual championship by 22 points from Australia’s Cameron Smith in second and Koepka in third.

A year after finishing 11th in the 48-man field, 31-year-old Gooch admitted it would have been “really sweet” to come out on top for a fourth time this term but insisted he still had plenty to be pleased about.

Speaking after events in Jeddah, Gooch said: “I just think it’s a validation to the golfer that I am, and to the hard work that we’ve put in for years and years. This game will beat you up, but we’ve done a good job year after year just continuing to improve, getting better and better, and learning from mistakes.

“That would have been really sweet to beat Brooks and to really cap it off like that, but it was a heck of a year and I’m very, very proud of it.”