Hear golfer’s commentary as bear swipes his golf clubs
A bear was seen ripping off golf clubs attached to a cart before taking off.
Brooks Koepka gave up five years of equity the PGA Tour valued at as much as $85 million and wrote a $5 million check to come back to the PGA Tour. And he didn’t make the playoffs.
He had a pretty scathing critique of himself on Sunday.
“I think it’s pretty pathetic that I can’t get through,” Koepka said after closing the Wyndham Championship with an even-par 70 at Sedgefield Country Club. “Zero to 10s basically in two years. To be in the prime of your career and be as good as I think I am, I think that’s very pathetic, disappointing. Just need to go home and completely reevaluate everything.”
He finished 3 under in Greensboro, North Carolina, and is projected to close the regular season 94th in the FedEx Cup. The top 70 go to Memphis this week for the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
The five-time major champion and former No. 1 left LIV Golf in January, came back to the PGA Tour, and won’t play a single postseason round.
The terms of his return were not cheap. Under the Returning Member Program, Koepka became ineligible for the Players’ Equity Program from 2026 to 2030 and forfeited any FEDEX Cup bonus money this season. The Tour put the cost at $50 million to $85 million and told its membership it was one of the largest financial penalties in the history of professional sports.
He got 15 starts, one top 10 and five missed cups out of it.
The good stretch came early and didn’t last. Three straight top-20 finishes during the Florida Swing in March, including a tie for ninth at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches. That ninth is the only top 10 on his card.
He lost nearly 2.5 strokes putting over 72 holes at Sedgefield and ranked 68th in the field on the greens. He came into the week eighth on tour in approach and 116th in putting.
Koepka said he’ll play a couple events in Europe and maybe a few more when the Tour picks back up in the fall. Then he goes home to reevaluate.
He won four majors in three years, went four more without one, then took the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill to become the 20th man in the history of the sport to win five. He hasn’t won one since.
The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports’ newsletter.