Brooks Koepka says whether playing on LIV Golf was to blame for him missing out on the Ryder Cup team

Add as preferred source on Google

Brooks Koepka was one of the biggest name players to leave the PGA Tour to join up with LIV Golf back in 2022.

Koepka has actually won a major since his move to LIV Golf – the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club.

However, it goes without saying that the 35-year-old’s game has regressed over the past year, and that drop in form has come at the very worst time for him with the Ryder Cup just weeks away now.

The five-time major champion missed out on a captain’s pick from Keegan Bradley last Wednesday but that didn’t surprise anybody, such has been the poor quality of golf that Koepka has offered up this season.

The PGA Tour is definitely weaker with golfers like Koepka playing on LIV.

However, could the American be tempted into leaving the Saudi-backed outfit at some point in the future in order to give himself a better chance of qualifying for the Ryder Cup?

Brooks Koepka says whether LIV Golf was to blame for his Ryder Cup omission

LIV CEO Scott O’Neil has hinted that Koepka is very happy right now, but with his contract set to expire at the end of the 2026 season, his future is uncertain at present.

One of Koepka’s main goals this season was to qualify for the Ryder Cup but he came up well short.

So perhaps that will enter his mind when he’s deciding what to do post-2026, regarding what tour he will play on.

Koepka spoke to reporters ahead of the Irish Open at The K Club this week, and he responded when asked about his feelings on missing out on the Ryder Cup.

“I played my way off it, so there’s nobody else to blame,“ The American explained. “I can’t be disappointed.“

“I’m not shying away from it, it’s just bad timing, you have one down year but if it’s the year after the Ryder Cup it makes it a whole lot easier to catch up.

“I think the situation I’m in playing on LIV and then not playing well.

“I don’t think LIV had anything to do with me not being on the team but it was more of the timing of the year and just trying to get that ball rolling.“

Koepka has an incredibly strong mindset when it comes to his will to win, and you best believe that he has the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor pencilled in his diary as one of his main goals for the next couple of years.

Brooks Koepka makes big equipment change before the Irish Open

During Koepka’s two-year period of domination from 2017 to 2019, arguably the best part of his game was his putting.

The 35-year-old was lethal inside of 10 feet and that was what made him so perfectly suited for US Open golf courses where a premium was placed on pars.

However, he was very streaky on the greens on LIV this season, despite finishing in a tie for fifth in average putts per green hit in regulation.

Koepka has made a big change with his putter ahead of the Irish Open and that is something he hasn’t done for quite some time.

He explained: “I’ve got a putter change, got a new putter in the hands which is something I haven’t done in a long time so we’ll see what it feels like.“

Koepka will be hoping to rediscover some of his old magic on the greens at The K Club this week.

While there are no 2027 Ryder Cup points available in Ireland, a win for Koepka could be the spark that lights his fire before the qualification process begins at the start of next season.