Brooks Koepka caught everyone offguard when his team announced that he was leaving LIV Golf and stepping away from the sport. However, Smylie Kaufman was among the few who weren't surprised.

Appearing on The Smylie Show on YouTube, the former PGA Tour pro offered a candid breakdown of why he saw Koepka’s exit coming.

"I wasn't surprised because the rumblings had been for a very long time that Brooks Koepka was unhappy at the LIV Golf Tour," Kaufman told Charlie Hulme about his initial reaction. Those whispers, he explained, were not sudden. They had been playing out publicly and privately for years.

Kaufman believed that Koepka’s personality was a major factor. “Brooks has always done it his way,” he said. And described him as “this tiger-like player who was intimidating, a guy that never really made friends with too many people.” His style of play, which was highly effective, sometimes struggled to mesh with the team-based environment of LIV Golf.

According to Kaufman, Koepka’s presence on the course was strictly professional. “When you were at the golf course, or you were playing golf with Brooks Koepka, it was very much businesslike at all times," he added.

Koepka’s personality might not be one of making many friends, but he is a family man. This shows because he is leaving LIV Golf, as he wants to take care of his family. 

That intensity, combined with his imposing build, which “looks like a linebacker,” reinforced his reputation as someone there to dominate. “Somebody's going to take the money. Well, he eventually did take the money, and he legitimized this league,” he said. 

However, even after making that move, the unease never fully subsided.

LIV Golf was a roller coaster journey for Brooks Koepka

Brooks Koepka’s LIV Golf journey began in 2022, when he made the jump from the PGA Tour and instantly became one of the league’s biggest names. A four-time major champion at the time, Koepka joined as the captain of Smash GC, bringing both star power and a winning mindset to the new circuit. 

The early phase was not smooth. Injuries, especially to his knee, affected his form, and results were inconsistent through much of 2022 and early 2023. But Koepka’s LIV story changed dramatically in May 2023, when he won the PGA Championship at Oak Hill. The best part? Brooks Koepka became the first LIV golfer to win a major. That’s where his confidence took over.

Following that, he won the LIV Golf Orlando event in 2023 and helped Smash GC claim multiple team victories. Since then, Koepka has remained one of LIV Golf’s most competitive and visible figures. 

Written by

Dolly Bhamrick

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi