Players not purses will sway Koepka's Premier Golf League decision

[February 27, 2020]  (Reuters) - Four-times major winner Brooks Koepka said on Wednesday that competition rather than cash will decide whether he leaves the PGA Tour to join the lucrative Premier Golf League (PGL).

The PGL, which the British-based World Golf Group hopes to launch in 2022, would consist of 18 yearly tournaments -- each with prize money of $10 million -- and feature 48 of the game's top players.

Former world number one Koepka, who already makes a highly profitable living and has won all of his majors in the last three years, said money would not be a deciding factor in whether he joins the new circuit as he just wants to compete with the best golfers.
 

"I am just going to play where the best players play," Koepka, who is competing at this week's Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, said in a report on the Golf Channel website.

"I want to play against the best. I think everyone wants to play against the best. Whatever comes of it, comes of it."

World number one Rory McIlroy has already shut the door on the Premier Golf League, saying he would prefer to have autonomy over his career choices, and Tiger Woods has said he was gathering more information about the concept.

Brooks Koepka lines up his putt on the fifth green during the final round of the Tour Championship golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo

Koepka, who was speaking after his Honda Classic pro-am round, said more money will not change his life and so he refuses to let an opportunity to earn more sway his decision on where he competes.

"I can't speak for everybody, but for me, money doesn't matter," said Koepka, who has earned over $30 million on the PGA Tour. "It’s not something that's important.

"I just want to be happy. Money is not going to make me happy. I just want to play against the best, and at the same time, I just want to play golf."

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Toby Davis)

[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.