Brooks Koepka Collapse and Future of LIV Golf

54 Hole Leader

It might be a bit unfair, but the most common question for Brooks Koepka this week will be if he felt physically fit enough to compete over 72 holes of golf. One of the biggest differences in the LIV golf circuit is that unlike their PGA Tour counterparts, their events only last 54 holes. So naturally, when Koepka fell apart on Sunday at the Masters, the easy conclusion was that the LIV golfers were simply not ready for 72 holes.

While it"s a fun storyline, it"s also important to remember that Phil Mickelson shot a -7 to catapult up the leaderboard and tie Koepka for second. For Masters" winner Patrick Reed finished in tie for fourth. Meanwhile, Cameron Smith and Dustin Johnson, despite their disappointing overall finishes, played into the weekend.

While these performances were notable, the biggest question will be around how can the LIV survive?

LIV Suffocation

The biggest detriment to joining LIV Golf is currently the players are not eligible for World Golf Ranking points. In addition, the players are not able to gain eligibility for Golf"s Major Championships through their performance in the LIV. With each golfer expelled from the PGA Tour, at some point, most LIV golfers will lose their eligibility for the premier events.

For the likes of Mickelson, Koepka, Bubba Watson, Patrick Reed, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith, Louis Oosthuizen and Sergio Garcia, their prior major wins will keep them as regular participants at Augusta and the other majors.

However, it remains to be seen if they can compete with the best on the PGA Tour. When comparing a player like Koepka to Jon Rahm, it"s fair to wonder if having better competition was the difference maker on the final day, for the two golfers.

Comparing Competition

For Rahm, 2023 has been a fascinating year. Typically, golf sees one golfer dominate (like the Tiger Woods era) or a large bunch of golfers near the top. This year, 3 golfers have emerged. Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler have all spent time near the top of the rankings and all feel like strong bets to win any given tournament.

For Koepka, it"s fair to wonder who are the best golfers that the LIV has to offer. Cameron Smith jumps out following his win at last year"s Open Championship. Longterm rival Bryson DeChambeau still has his youth but hasn"t quite looked like the golfer who won the 2020 US Open. The same can be said about Patrick Reed who won only 3 events following the 2018 Masters and his departure for LIV.

Finally, most of the other major winners on the LIV circuit are starting to approach the age where it"s fair to wonder how much competitive golf they have. Mickelson is the most accomplished but will turn 53 in June. Bubba Watson is about to turn 45. Sergio Garcia is 43. Louis Oosthuizen is 40 approaching 41. Even Dustin Johnson, who was perhaps the most known golfer to cross over to LIV turns 39 later this summer.

Looking Forward

As the golf world continues moving forward, questions will remain about the LIV"s longterm survivability. From the lack of a network television deal to further tension between the United States and Saudi Arabia (a country who financially backs the LIV), time may just be running out on LIV.

If they can find a way to win one of the remaining majors this year, it will go a long way to helping stabilize the break-off tour. If not, Koepka and company might just find themselves wishing for a way back.

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