Biography, Career, Net Worth, Family, Top Stories for the LIV Golf Star

Brooks Koepka is one of the most polarizing athletes in the world. Whether you love him or hate him, you have to respect his simplistic approach to the game of golf and his ability to consistently play his best on the biggest stages.

Of his eight career PGA Tour victories, four came at major championships. Koepka won back-to-back U.S. Open titles in 2017 and 2018, then did the same at the PGA Championship in 2018 and 2019. In 2022, Koepka famously ditched the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf, and he’s already won twice on the rival tour.

But who is Brooks Koepka? Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about the Florida native, ranging from personal information to his statistics to the top stories he’s inspired throughout his time on and off the links.

Article Contents

• Quick facts
• Early life and high school
• Junior and amateur golf
• College
• PGA Tour career
• LIV Golf career
• Majors performance
• OWGR history
• Playing style
• Caddie
• Wife, children, and family
• Net worth and career earnings
• Sponsors
• FAQ

Quick Jordan Spieth facts

• Full name: Brooks Koepka
• Birthday: May 3, 1990
• Birthplace: West Palm Beach, Florida
• Parents: Bob Koepka and Denise Jakows
• Siblings: Chase Koepka
• Listed height: 6-foot-0
• Listed weight: 205 pounds
• High school: Cardinal Newman High School (West Palm Beach, Florida)
• College: Florida State University
• Turned pro: 2012
• PGA Tour playing career: 2012-22
• LIV Golf playing career: 2022-present
• Marital status: Married
• Spouse: Jena Sims
• Children: None

Where did Brooks Koepka grow up and play high school golf?

Brooks Koepka was born on May 3, 1990, in West Palm Beach, Florida, to Bob Koepka and Denise Jakows. He grew up with one younger brother, Chase Koepka, who’s also a professional golfer and a member of LIV Golf.

Golf wasn’t Koepka’s first love as a child. He grew up in a baseball-heavy family, as his father played college baseball, and his great uncle, Dick Groat, was an MLB superstar in the 1950s and ’60s. Koepka wanted to follow in their footsteps but also played hockey more than golf growing up.

When he was 10 years old, Koepka was involved in a car accident that resulted in fractures to his nose and sinus cavity. He wasn’t able to play contact sports for a full year, so he switched his focus to the golf course.

Koepka started playing every day at nearby Okeeheelee Golf Course and made golf his main priority by the time he reached Cardinal Newman High School.

Where did Brooks Koepka go to college?

When it became time to choose a path forward after high school, Koepka decided to chase a career in golf. He committed to Florida State University in 2008. It didn’t take him long to make an impression on the world of college golf.

In 2009, Koepka was named the ACC Freshman of the Year. He was named the ACC Co-Player of the Year alongside Virginia’s Ben Kohles as a sophomore, but he didn’t record his first collegiate win until 2012. As a senior, Koepka won three times and was named the ACC Player of the Year. He was also named a Second-Team All-American by the Golf Coaches Association of America and Golf Week.

Brooks Koepka junior and amateur career

Koepka wasn’t a decorated junior golfer like Jordan Spieth or Justin Thomas. As an amateur golfer, his lone win came at the 2009 Rice Planters Amateur.

In 2012, Koepka qualified for the U.S. Open as an amateur. He missed the cut, but he was able to turn pro a few months after graduating from Florida State in 2012.

Before reaching the PGA Tour, Koepka spent a few years playing professional golf in Europe. He started out on the Challenge Tour and won his first pro event at the Challenge de Catalunya a few months later. After three more wins over the next few months, Koepka earned his European Tour card for the 2014 season.

In 2014, he won the Turkish Airlines Open and earned the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award despite splitting his time between the European Tour and the PGA Tour. Koepka finished the season 18th in the Race to Dubai standings and earned his PGA Tour card for the 2014-15 season.

Brooks Koepka PGA Tour career

Koepka earned his PGA Tour card ahead of the 2014-15 season, and he won his third start of the year at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. After two years of knocking at the door, he broke out in a big way in 2017.

Koepka won the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills for his first career major championship. The following year, he won both the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship to vault to the No. 1 spot in the OWGR for the first time. He kept the momentum rolling into the 2018-19 season with a career-high three wins and another PGA Championship title.

Since winning four majors in eight tries, Koepka won the 2019 CJ Cup and the 2021 Phoenix Open but hasn’t added a fifth major to his resume. In 2022, Koepka ditched the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf.

Brooks Koepka 2012 PGA Tour season

Koepka made his PGA Tour debut at the 2012 U.S. Open, and it didn’t go as well as he planned. He shot 77-77 to finish at +14 and miss the cut.

Brooks Koepka 2013 PGA Tour season

In 2013, Koepka recorded his first starts at the Open Championship and the PGA Championship. He missed the cut at the Open but made his first major championship cut at the PGA en route to a T70 finish.

Brooks Koepka 2013-14 PGA Tour season

Koepka played 16 events in the 2013-14 season, mostly on sponsor’s exemptions. He kicked off the season with a T3 finish at the Frys.com Open after holding the 54-hole lead. At the 2014 U.S. Open, Koepka finished T4 to earn his full PGA Tour card for the 2014-15 season.

Brooks Koepka 2014-15 PGA Tour season

As a full-time member of the PGA Tour for the first time, Koepka started the 2014-15 season with two top-10 finishes before recording his first career win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Koepka made the cut in all four majors and finished T5 at the PGA Championship. He finished the season 24th in the FedEx Cup standings.

Brooks Koepka 2015-16 PGA Tour season

After a successful 2014-15 campaign, Koepka decided to forfeit his European Tour membership and focus on the PGA Tour full-time.

Despite his seven top-10 finishes and back-to-back runner-ups at the AT&T Byron Nelson and the FedEx St. Jude Classic, Koepka went winless in 2015-16. He played in three majors and finished T21 or better in each, highlighted by a T4 at the PGA Championship.

Brooks Koepka 2016-17 PGA Tour season

The 2016-17 season was a big one for Koepka, as he recorded seven top-10 finishes and won his first major championship at the U.S. Open. He torched Erin Hills for a final score of 16 under par, one shot shy of the U.S. Open record.

Koepka also added five other top-six finishes in 2016-17, and he came in 10th in the FedEx Cup standings at the end of the year.

Brooks Koepka 2017-18 PGA Tour season

The 2017-18 campaign is when the floodgates opened for Koepka. After going winless in the first half of the season, he won the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club for his second straight victory at the major championship. Two months later, he won the PGA Championship at Bellerive Golf Course, beating out Tiger Woods by two strokes in the process.

Koepka finished ninth in the FedEx Cup standings, and by the end of 2018, he reached No. 1 in the OWGR for the first time in his career.

Brooks Koepka 2018-19 PGA Tour season

Koepka kept the positive momentum rolling to the 2018-19 season by winning his first start at The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges. He failed to defend his title at the U.S. Open, finishing solo second, but he did win the PGA Championship at Bethpage Black for the second straight year. He also finished T2 at the Masters and T4 at the Open Championship to notch top-five finishes in all four majors.

Koepka won the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational later in the year to finish the season with a career-high three victories. He finished third in the FedEx Cup standings and was regarded as the best player in the world for most of the year.

Brooks Koepka 2019-20 PGA Tour season

Koepka battled injuries all year in the COVID-19-shortened 2019-20 season, and it showed in his inconsistent play.

In 13 starts, he recorded two top-10 finishes but missed five cuts. He was forced to withdraw from the FedEx Cup Playoffs due to hip and knee injuries, and he dipped outside the top 10 in the OWGR by the end of the year.

Brooks Koepka 2020-21 PGA Tour season

After an up-and-down start to the 2020-21 season, Koepka won the Waste Management Phoenix Open with a score of 19 under par. His inconsistent play continued throughout the year, leading to four top-six finishes and three missed cuts in a three-month span.

For the second year in a row, Koepka withdrew from the FedEx Cup Playoffs before the end of the Tour Championship.

Brooks Koepka 2021-22 PGA Tour season

Koepka made 16 official starts in the 2021-22 season, and he missed the cut seven times. He finished 55th or worse in all four major championships while playing through injury, and his best finish came with a T3 at the WM Phoenix Open.

Brooks Koepka 2022-23 PGA Tour season

Koepka left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in 2022, but he still qualified for the Masters and finished in a tie for second place.

All stats courtesy of PGA Tour.

Brooks Koepka LIV Golf career

Koepka joined LIV Golf in 2022 for a reported $150 million. He debuted at the LIV Golf Invitational in Portland and finished in a tie for 20th place. After three more mediocre finishes, Koepka finished ninth in Bangkok and won the season finale in Jeddah for his first victory on the Saudi-backed tour.

In 2023, Koepka won in Orlando to become the first two-time winner in LIV Golf history. He also made a run at another title in Singapore but finished tied for third.

Koepka is a member of Smash GC with Jason Kokrak, Matthew Wolff, and his brother, Chase Koepka.

Brooks Koepka 2022 LIV Golf season

Koepka struggled a bit to start his LIV Golf career, but he finished the inaugural season strong with a ninth-place finish in Bangkok and his first win on the rival tour in Jeddah.

Brooks Koepka 2023 LIV Golf season

After two underwhelming finishes to start the 2023 season, Koepka won in Orlando to notch his second victory with LIV Golf. He recently finished third in Singapore as his strong play continues.

Brooks Koepka majors performances

Brooks Koepka famously claimed major championships are easier to win than regular PGA Tour events, and he’s backed that up with his play over the years.

Koepka has won four major championships in his career, and they all came within a two-year span. He won the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills and went back-to-back the following year at Shinnecock Hills. Then, he went back-to-back again at the PGA Championship in 2018 (Bellerive) and 2019 (Bethpage Black).

Koepka has been a consistent performer at the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship throughout his career, but he hasn’t had as much success at the Masters or the Open Championship.

Brooks Koepka Masters performances

Koepka has won four major championships, but he’s still searching for his first green jacket. The closest he came was in 2023 when he held the first- and second-round lead but faltered on the weekend to finish T2 behind Jon Rahm.

Brooks Koepka PGA Championship performances

Koepka won back-to-back PGA Championship titles in 2018 and 2019, shooting a combined 24 under par along the way. In 10 career PGA Championship starts, he’s recorded seven top-15 finishes and hasn’t missed the cut once.

Brooks Koepka U.S. Open performances

After missing the cut in his first career U.S. Open start, Koepka rattled off finishes of T4, T18, and T13 before winning back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. His finishing score of 16 under par at Erin Hills in 2017 is tied with Rory McIlroy for the lowest U.S. Open score in tournament history.

Brooks Koepka Open Championship performances

Like the green jacket, Koepka is still searching for his first Claret Jug. In eight Open Championship starts, he’s recorded three top-10 finishes and two missed cuts.

Brooks Koepka Official World Golf Ranking

When Koepka turned pro in 2012, he debuted at No. 1,459 in the OWGR. He quickly rose up the rankings to crack the top 500 before 2013 and the top 100 before 2014. In 2018, after he won his first two major championships, Koepka reached the No. 1 spot in the OWGR for the first time in his career.

Koepka was No. 1 in the world for a career-best 38 straight weeks from May 2019-February 2020, but he dropped outside the top 10 in 2021 due to injuries.

Because the OWGR doesn’t award points to LIV Golf, Koepka fell outside the top 100 in 2023 for the first time in nine years. His T2 finish at the 2023 Masters vaulted him back inside the top 40.

• Current rank: No. 39
• Lifetime high: No. 1
• Lifetime low: No. 1,459
• Weeks ranked No. 1: 47

Brooks Koepka playing style

John Daly once said, “I hit the ball as hard as I can. If I can find it, I hit it again,” and Brooks Koepka has epitomized this mindset his entire career.

Golf is a simple game for Koepka. He plays one shot shape on full swings — a baby fade that starts just left of his target and works its way back to the right. Why complicate the game with multiple swings and shot shapes when you can perfect one and feel confident about every shot?

When he’s at his best, Koepka’s biggest strength is his power off the tee. He ranked 10th or better in driving distance on the PGA Tour for three straight years from 2017-19. Koepka has never been the best in the world at anything, but he’s consistent with every aspect of his game. When it all comes together for one week, you can almost guarantee he will be in contention on Sunday.

Brooks Koepka caddie

Ricky Elliott is Brooks Koepka’s caddie, and he has been since 2013.

Elliott grew up in Portrush in Northern Ireland and was a talented golfer himself. He attended the University of Toledo and tried to make it on the PGA Tour, but his dream was cut short before he could reach the big leagues. So, Elliott turned to the caddie life.

In his early years, Elliott carried the bag for Maarten Lafeber and Ben Curtis before teaming up with Koepka in Europe. The two hit it off immediately, and they’ve been working together ever since.

“I wouldn’t want anybody else on my bag, I know that. He’s been tremendous,” Koepka said of Elliott in 2019. “He’s part of the reason why I’ve had the success I’ve had. And I love the guy to death.”

Brooks Koepka wife, children, and family

Koepka is married to Jena Sims, a model and actor who’s appeared on screen with Morgan Freeman, Robert De Niro, Jeremy Renner, and more. The two met online and first met in person at the 2015 Masters. They started dating shortly after, and they got married in 2022. Koepka and Sims live in Jupiter, Florida, with their dog, Cove. They have no children.

Koepka’s parents are Bob Koepka and Denise Jakows. Bob Koepka played college baseball and introduced Brooks to baseball, hockey, and golf. Brooks has one brother, Chase Koepka, who’s also a professional golfer and a member of LIV Golf.

Brooks Koepka net worth and career earnings

Thanks to his eight wins and 52 top-10 finishes, Koepka has earned nearly $40 million on the PGA Tour. His most lucrative season came in 2018-19 when he won three tournaments and banked nearly $10 million in on-course earnings. Koepka has also earned more than $12 million with LIV Golf in less than two full seasons.

Here’s how his PGA Tour earnings break down by year:

As of 2023, Koepka has a net worth of $50 million, per Celebrity Net Worth.

According to BrooksKoepka.com, Koepka is sponsored by Srixon, Nike, Rolex, Michelob Ultra, and NetJets. He also promotes A SHOC Energy regularly on his Instagram page.

Brooks Koepka FAQ

Born on May 3, 1990, Brooks Koepka is 33 years old.

Brooks Koepka was born in West Palm Beach, Florida, to parents Bob and Denise.

Brooks Koepka is 6-foot-0.

Brooks Koepka has been married to Jena Sims since 2022.

Brooks Koepka has no children at this time.

Brooks Koepka lives in Jupiter, Florida, with his wife, Jena Sims.

Ricky Elliott has served as Brooks Koepka’s full-time caddie since 2013.

Brooks Koepka has won four major championships — the 2017 U.S. Open, the 2018 U.S. Open, the 2018 PGA Championship, and the 2019 PGA Championship.

Brooks Koepka joined LIV Golf in 2022 and has played for the rival tour ever since.

LIV Golf reportedly paid Brooks Koepka $150 million to join the tour, per The Telegraph.

No. Brooks Koepka and the other LIV Golf players have been banned by the PGA Tour.

Koepka has a net worth of $50 million, per Celebrity Net Worth.

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