Brooks Koepka was unable to make the weekend at the PGA Championship after missing the cut at Quail Hollow, and he was subjected to a heckle from a spectator in the process
22:18, 17 May 2025Updated 22:18, 17 May 2025
Brooks Koepka was in no mood for being heckled at the PGA Championship(Image: Maddie Meyer/PGA of America/PGA of America via Getty Images)
Brooks Koepka had a heated reaction after receiving jeers about his performance post-LIV Golf transition, while failing to make the cut at the PGA Championship on Friday, with Rory McIlroy already making his feelings clear on the golfer.
The illustrious champion with five major titles witnessed a tough couple of days at Quail Hollow, as his slump in significant competitions persisted. The LIV Golf recruit posted scores of 75-76, finishing the championship at nine-over-par, eight strokes from making the cut and unfortunately reaching an unwelcome benchmark.
“That’s what guaranteed money does to you, Brooks,” taunted one onlooker in a hospitality area to Koepka during his second round. The spat was recorded and rapidly spread across social media, showing the 35-year-old turning sharply to challenge the heckler.
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Koepka shot back, “You want to come down here and say it?” repeating himself to the spectator before carrying on.
After signing up as a prominent figure for the inaugural season of the LIV league, Koepka disclosed that he got a signing bonus topping $100 million from the Saudi-funded series.
His game initially seemed unaffected by the switch. He trailed just behind Jon Rahm as runner-up at the 2023 Masters and, shortly after, seized his third PGA Championship crown at Oak Hill.
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Since joining LIV, the Florida golfer has experienced a harsh decline in major tournaments. Despite winning five times on LIV, he only has one top-20 finish in his last eight majors, including recent missed cuts at Augusta National.
So, it didn’t come as a shock when images of Koepka clutching a pack of brews at a QuickTrip location went viral following the wrap-up of Friday’s action. The trio featuring Koepka, Shane Lowry, and Rickie Fowler did not have much to celebrate, all failing to make the cut. Lowry, in particular, dealt with some tough luck, suffering an unfortunate turn on the eighth hole.
Lowry saw his ball settle in another player’s divot on the fairway, leaving him without the option for relief. Stuck in the damp ground, the shot was practically unmanageable, leading to a bogey and ultimately missing the cut by a single stroke.
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“F— this place,” vented a visibly upset Lowry, punctuating his sentiment by striking the ground with his club, expressing his disdain for the course quite explicitly as he flipped off the hole post-bogey putt.
“You hit a lovely tee shot, you’re not expecting that,” expressed the world No. 10, clearly disappointed as he exited the green.
“I was obviously very annoyed with that because I felt like I had quite a bit of momentum going in the round, and standing there with 40 or 50 yards to the pin off the fairway, it’s an easy pitch shot for me – and I walk away making bogey.”
