5 days Ago By Mark Whiley
Brooks Koepka's LIV Golf team Smash GC could be in for a significant shake-up in 2025 . Despite finishing fourth in the team standings, their performance at the Team Championship finale in Dallas was less than stellar, coming in last as Cam Smith's Ripper GC took home the title. Koepka himself had a solid season, securing fifth place in the individual money list with earnings just over £9.
5 million ($11.6 million). However, there's a feeling within the team that they could have performed better, given the high caliber of golfers like Talor Gooch, Jason Kokrak, and Graeme McDowell.
With potential changes looming, here's a look at what Koepka's dream line-up might look like next year...
Rory McIlroy can't hide tears in honest admission after ending 2024 with victory Amanda Balionis 'finds paradise' as Rory McIlroy ends tough year on a high Gooch had a respectable season, ending up 16th on the list with £4.9 million ($6.2 million).
But after topping the individual rankings in 2023, he will likely view this year as a disappointment. At 33, the Oklahoma native should still have his best years ahead of him. A return to his 2023 form would make Smash a team to watch in 2025.
To say 2024 was a letdown for former U.S. Open champion McDowell would be an understatement.
The Northern Irishman earned a relatively modest £2.5 million ($3 million), finishing 33rd in the money list. The former Ryder Cup star didn't just stumble on the course; he also faced a ban from one event and a hefty £98,000 ($125,000) fine for violating anti-doping rules after using a Vicks nasal spray for cold symptoms.
Graeme McDowell's position is uncertain after failing to make the top 24, known as the Open Zone, and he now faces the possibility of being dropped by Brooks Koepka. Should this happen, Koepka might consider making a major move for Tony Finau, a prominent figure on the PGA Tour who has previously hinted at joining LIV Golf. Finau's close friendship with Koepka makes a potential switch more likely, especially given Finau's comments to TMZ in 2023 expressing how much he missed Koepka, referring to him as "one of my closest guys on tour".
The outcome of ongoing merger talks between LIV's backers and the PGA and DP World Tours will be crucial in determining what happens next. Despite reports of a breakthrough in the discussions, which could be worth more than $1 billion, golf fans are still waiting for an official announcement that could bring an end to the long-standing conflict in the sport. Meanwhile, Kokrak, who narrowly missed the top 24 cut-off, may be retained by the team, which could be a sensible decision to maintain continuity, particularly if McDowell is let go.
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