Brooks Koepka’s Saudi tour move confirmed as Greg Norman praises series’ ‘momentum’ | Golf | Sport

It has been announced that Brooks Koepka will join the Saudi-backed LIV golf series. He will compete in the LIV Golf Invitational Portland, which commences on June 30 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Oregon. 

The controversial circuit continues to gain more recruits and LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman is pleased the tour is continuing to build momentum.

“There’s no understating the impact that Brooks Koepka has had on the game of golf in the last five years. He carries a championship pedigree and record of success as one of the most elite players in the world,” said Greg Norman, LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner.

“The addition of Brooks is yet another example of the incredible fields LIV Golf is assembling as we build momentum in our first season and look towards the future.” The 32-year-old is the latest big name to join the likes of likes of Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson in jumping ship from the PGA Tour. This decision comes after previously criticised Phil Mickelson for his ‘greed’ in joining the Saudi series.

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Koepka had caused a stir after he removed ‘PGA Tour’ from his social channels. Fans were recently sent into a frenzy when Koepka appeared to tease a move to the LIV Golf Series ahead of its inaugural event in Hertfordshire earlier this month. Their fears were confirmed and the American will hope to add to list of accomplishments by succeeding on the breakaway circuit.

The former world number one won back-to-back U.S. Opens in 2017-18 before repeating the feat in the PGA Championship (2018-19) which saw him become the first golfer in history to simultaneously hold back-to-back titles in two different majors.

By confirming his participation in the LIV golf series, Koepka has withdrawn from Thursday’s PGA Tour event, the Travelers Championship in Connecticut. Rory McIlroy, has been a strong critic of the eight-tournament series, said he was surprised by the “duplicitous” behaviour of some of the golfers who turned their back on the PGA Tour.

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“Am I surprised?” asked McIlroy ahead of the Travelers Championship. “Yes, because of what he said previously. I think that’s why I’m surprised at a lot of these guys because they say one thing and then they do another, and I don’t understand that and I don’t know if that’s for legal reasons or if they can’t – I have no idea.

“But it’s pretty duplicitous on their part to say one thing and then do another thing…the whole way through, in public and private, all of it.”