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Brooks Koepka Leaves The PGA To Join LIV Golf

HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 17: Brooks Koepka of the United States plays his shot from the fourth tee during the third round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 17, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Image: Getty)

The LIV Golf International Series has poached yet another star golfer from the PGA Tour. Brooks Koepka will join the series and compete in LIV Golf events for the foreseeable future. Koepka is one of the higher-profile golfers to leave the PGA tour. LIV Golf is expected to announce his addition to the series in the coming days.

He is now the eighth Top 50 ranked player to sign with LIV Golf. Koepka was anticipated to participate in LIV’s upcoming event in Portland while he was still signed with the PGA Tour.

Tour commissioner Jay Moynahan had said that those slated to participate in the event without a conflicting-event release would face suspension. Other Top 50 players such as Bryson DeChambeau (30th) and Patrick Reed (38th) are also expected to compete in the event, but it is unclear if they plan to resign from the PGA Tour.

It was also rumored that 20th-ranked Abraham Ancer would also leave the PGA in favor of LIV as well as 4th-ranked golfer Collin Morikawa.

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Morikawa tweeted out a statement denying those rumors expressing that he is “here to stay” with the PGA Tour.

Koepka is a four-time majors winner and was recently ranked number one in the world before a slew of injuries caused him to have a shaky finish at three majors this season, missing the cut at the Masters, and placing 55th in the PGA Championship and last week’s U.S. Open.

At the Open, Koepka waved off any questions about his rumored intention to join LIV Golf. “I’m here at the U.S. Open,” he said. “I’m ready to play the U.S. Open, and I think it kind of sucks, too, you are all throwing this black cloud over the U.S. Open. It’s one of my favorite events. I don’t know why you guys keep doing that. The more legs you give [LIV Golf], the more you keep talking about it.”

Moynahan is expected to speak with the media on Wednesday. It is unclear whether he will deal out punishment for the other golfers who have not been suspended. Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson have already been indefinitely suspended.

The first U.S.-based LIV Golf event will take place on June 30 in Portland.