Brooks Koepka’s Brutal Assessment of Matthew Wolff

Brooks Koepka, the captain of the Smash GC team in LIV Golf, has expressed his frustration with teammate Matthew Wolff, indicating a significant rift between them. Wolff’s recent poor performances and withdrawal from a tournament have contributed to the strained relationship, suggesting that their partnership may be irreparable.

Wolff’s struggles continued as he arrived at the LIV event near London after finishing in 44th place in Spain. This marked his fifth consecutive disappointing performance, including a withdrawal from the tournament in Washington, D.C., in May, prior to the final round. After 36 holes, he found himself in 46th place out of 48 players, highlighting the downward spiral in his game.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Koepka expressed his disapproval of Wolff’s behavior, particularly his decision to quit during a round. “I mean, when you quit on your round, you give up and stuff like that, that’s not competing,” stated Koepka. “I’m not a big fan of that. You don’t work hard. It’s very tough to have even a team dynamic when you’ve got one guy that won’t work, one guy is not going to give any effort, he’s going to quit on the course, break clubs get down, and has a bad body language, it’s very tough. I’ve basically given up on him—a lot of talent, but I mean the talent’s wasted.”

Initially, Wolff demonstrated promise in the LIV Golf season with three top-10 finishes, including a remarkable T5 placement in Florida in April, where Koepka secured victory, and Smash GC achieved their best season finish at second place, earning a share of $1.5 million.

However, Wolff’s performance declined in subsequent events, finishing T44 in Australia, followed by T41 in Singapore and T30 in Oklahoma. His withdrawal from the tournament at Trump National, near Washington, D.C., due to an undisclosed injury further exacerbated the situation. As a consequence, Wolff was partially removed from Smash GC’s social media pages.

When approached by Sports Illustrated, Wolff conveyed his focus on personal improvement and contributing to the team’s success. “I’m here, you know, trying to do what I can to play the best round of golf and that’s going to help the team,” he stated. While asserting his fitness, Wolff emphasized his commitment to playing good golf, which he believed would ultimately benefit the team.

When asked about the possibility of joining another team, Wolff responded with a silent stare, shaking his head before walking away. This reaction suggests his determination to persevere and potentially seek new opportunities elsewhere.

Wolff currently ranks 27th on the money list, where the top 24 players secure guaranteed spots in LIV Golf for the next season. Considering his position, it remains uncertain whether Wolff will remain with Smash GC or seek an opportunity with a different team. The other members of Smash GC, Jason Kokrak (22nd on the money list), and Koepka’s younger brother Chase Koepka (45th) may also face potential team restructuring in the upcoming season.

In the end, the strained relationship between Brooks Koepka and Matthew Wolff in LIV Golf has reached a critical point. Koepka’s disappointment in Wolff’s recent performances, including his withdrawal from a tournament, has led him to believe that Wolff’s talent is being wasted due to a lack of effort and commitment. While Wolff expressed his determination to improve, his future with Smash GC remains uncertain, given his current standing on the money list.