Koepka grabs bumper LIV payday, promises brother sports car

KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY, Saudi Arabia: Four-time major-winner Brooks Koepka secured the biggest payday of his career with a $4 million play-off win over close friend Peter Uihlein to win the LIV Golf Invitational Jeddah.

Koepka’s birdie at the third play-off hole cost Uihlein an eye-watering $5.875 million as it denied him the winner’s prize plus $8 million for second place in the season standings.

Uihlein can console himself with $4 million for third place this season, plus $2.125 million for second place on Sunday and $750,000 for winning the team event alongside Koepka.

Koepka can also add $750,000 to his winnings for the team victory. The 2017-2018 US Open and 2018-2019 PGA Championship winner was emotional afterwards, revealing he had feared for his career while battling injury. “The last two years haven’t been fun — it’s been a long road,” said Koepka, 32. “I didn’t know if my career was over for half-a-second. I wasn’t sure if I was going to play so it’s nice to be able to come back and be able to win.”

Koepka, who wrecked his knee in 2021 and has also had hip problems, said he would honor his pledge to buy his brother and team-mate, Chase, a lime-green sports car for winning the team title. “I told my brother I’d buy him a Lambo (Lamborghini) if we won the team thing, so now, I’ve got to go buy one,” he said. Koepka’s winnings far outstrip his prizes for any of his major titles. He took home $2.16 million from the US Open in 2017 and 2018, and $1.98 million from each of his PGA Championship victories. Uihlein began the day one shot ahead of Koepka and from the shotgun start, the former Challenge Tour room-mates dueled their way around the course on a hot day of stiff breezes and scant birdies.

Arriving