Brooks Koepka has spoken out for the first time after his equipment deal came to a surprise end…
For the first time in five years, Brooks Koepka is an equipment free agent.
Koepka has entered the brave new world of autonomy back on the PGA Tour after splitting with his longtime suppliers Srixon. He won the most recent of his five major titles – the 2023 PGA Championship – with Srixon hardware, along with five LIV Golf victories.
Dunlop Sports, the company that controls Srixon, said the Japanese brand and Koepka have “mutually agreed to conclude their endorsement partnership, effective immediately”.
“It’s different,” Koepka said, speaking about the split for the first time at the Myrtle Beach Classic. “I had a great time with Srixon. They were fantastic. Four years, it flew by. Yeah, it was great. But, yeah, just going to get back to where I was I felt like. I’m trying to think, ’17 and pretty much ’21 I was a free agent.”
Koepka then suggested that the equipment world has moved on without him having spent his past few seasons on the breakaway LIV league, hinting that new gear has not always been easily accessible.
“Over the last few years, there’s been no equipment trucks,” he admitted. “There’s been no anything, so I don’t really know what’s out there,” he said. “I haven’t given it too much thought as of right now just because it’s so fresh. Just trying to focus on just going to play good golf.”
At each of its tournaments in the US, LIV does have an equipment facility which enables players options from all of the major equipment brands, with some of their staff also on site for additional support. But the offerings are not as expansive across its 14 tournaments as the full-field events on the PGA Tour.
“It’s kind of eye-opening when you come back,” Koepka said, “because I don’t think people realize that, at least I didn’t — how much stuff is out there and the opportunity you might have.”