Brooks Koepka seems like he could possibly be entering into one other Ryder Cup surroundings, match play with bragging rights at stake, even when it is solely two-man groups competing in a single match as a substitute of 12-man groups in 28 matches.
Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau, every a serious champion the final two years whereas taking part in for LIV Golf, tackle Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy from the PGA Tour in a made-for-TV match at Shadow Creek in Nevada on Dec. 17.
Scheffler is the No. 1 participant on this planet rating after a nine-win season, which included one other Masters and an Olympic gold medal. He confronted off solely 4 occasions in opposition to Koepka and DeChambeau.
Koepka was requested if Scheffler might have gained a lot had he confronted a full lineup of stars.
“Scottie had a hell of a yr. I believe it is arguably probably the greatest years the tour has ever seen,” Koepka mentioned Tuesday. “Bryson had a hell of a yr — he performed 10 occasions higher than I did. I performed with him sufficient to know what he might have completed on the PGA Tour. All of us have an excellent really feel how we might have fared on any tour.
“I believe he (Scheffler) would have gained plenty of his golf tournaments. However I believe we might have put up an excellent struggle. It might have been attention-grabbing.”
He thinks “The Crypto.com Showdown” at Shadow Creek north of Las Vegas will likely be sufficient to pique the curiosity of followers. Not solely is it a uncommon probability outdoors the majors to see the very best from LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, it has that spirit of workforce ingredient.
“Let’s be actual — would not you need to see a LIV versus PGA Tour Ryder Cup-style factor? That’s what it’s,” Koepka mentioned. “That is rising into an enormous factor. That is what is going to draw the followers.”
Apart from a couple of European tour occasions, the celebs from LIV Golf and the PGA Tour meet solely 4 occasions a yr within the majors. The Public Funding Fund of Saudi Arabia, which funds LIV Golf, and PGA Tour Enterprises have been negotiating a business deal. Nonetheless to be decided is how a minority funding from PIF would reunite the golf world.
“What we’re doing is so distinctive for golf. It might begin one thing going into the long run,” Koepka mentioned.
The PGA Tour signed off on the Las Vegas match by giving Scheffler and McIlroy releases to play. It’s at the least a begin to extra appearances, even when neither Koepka nor DeChambeau has any concept what that may appear to be.
“The showdown is a superb showcase for bringing the 2 excursions a bit collectively,” DeChambeau mentioned. “And I believe what we’re doing to do subsequent yr, all of us aligned, is bringing one thing a bit of greater and badder, so we are able to have a few occasions — at the least yet another time — the place we are able to see a lot of the greatest gamers on either side competing.”
#Koepka #expects #Ryder #Cup #vibe #LIVPGA #Tour #match #Vegas