'See You Guys At Travelers Next Week' - Koepka Can't Resist PGA Tour Return Joke
Brooks Koepka cracked a rare joke about a swift PGA Tour return in a dig at LIV Golf critics ahead of his bid for a third US Open title
Brooks Koepka is not exactly well known for his jokes, especially in press conferences, but he couldn't resist a one-liner as he ended his media duties ahead of the 2023 US Open.
Winning the PGA Championship last month took Koepka on to five Majors for his career, which include the two US Open titles he won back-to-back in 2017 and 2018.
After struggling with injuries, winning this year's PGA Championship after a runner-up finish at the Masters showed he's right back to his best Major form - meaning Koepka is among the betting favourites to win the US Open for a third time this week.
Along with his title credentials, Koepka was also naturally quizzed about the huge PGA Tour deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund, and what it means for LIV Golf in the future.
While he largely batted hypotheticals away, he couldn't resist a quip right at the end of his press conference, in response to talk that LIV Golf stars won't be allowed to just walk back onto the PGA Tour.
"Thanks, see you guys at Travelers next week," Koepka said with a smile as he left the podium.
It's not an everyday occurrence that Koepka cracks a joke with the media, but there was a ripple of laughter as the assembled press began to get the joke.
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Here’s the video of Brooks Koepka at the end of his @usopengolf presser.“Thanks. See you guys at the Travelers next week.” 😂 pic.twitter.com/ANG6LNk5aqJune 13, 2023
After a deal that has left so many questions, just how LIV Golf players will get back onto the PGA Tour is a huge problem to solve.
Rory McIlroy said "we can't just let LIV golfers back in" and it's widely accepted that there will be some sort of fine to pay for those wanting to return to the PGA Tour.
Nothing will be sorted before the end of the current season either, when Jay Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan will flesh out the framework deal and decide just what role LIV Golf will play in the future.
Monahan has stepped aside from running the PGA Tour to deal with a medical issue, and it's unsure just how serious that is and how long he will be absent.
And on the LIV Golf situation, Koepka isn't concerning himself with it just now, as he uses his laser focus and continues to shut out any outside noise to concentrate on a routine he's fine tuned for the Majors.
"I haven't paid too much attention to it, honestly," Koepka said at his US Open press conference. "I've been trying to prep for this week. I'm just trying to make sure I come into a Major championship.
"There's four weeks a year I really care about and this is one of them, and I want to play well."
Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.
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