Brooks Koepka, the four-time Major champion who overcame career-threatening injuries and nearly 20 months of uncertainty when he won the LIV Invitational in Jeddah last year, has helped put younger brother Chase behind the driving wheel, literally and figuratively.
At the start of the Jeddah tournament, Brooks promised his brother he would buy him a car of Chase’s choice if Smash won the team tournament. They did.
Chase did not have to wait long for his brother to deliver on his promise. Within days of returning home, he was the owner of a swanky Lamborghini SUV, but it was not the lime-green color that he was pining for.
“Yeah, I wanted to get a lime-green one, but they didn’t have the color. So, I ended up going for white. I wanted something flashy, but I think I was a little ahead of myself in the moment,” said Chase as he geared up for LIV Invitational Singapore.
Truth be told, Brooks has given a lot more to Chase than just a car. Over the year, the 29-year-old has been inspired by the exploits of his brother, which have helped him become a better golfer.
And as the former world No. 1 rediscovers his health and golfing mojo, Chase is taking great delight in Brooks’ recent run, which included another win in March at LIV Invitational Orlando, followed by a spectacular show at the Masters, where he finished tied second behind champion Jon Rahm.
Chase became the talk of the golfing world last Sunday, when he made a hole-in-one on the par-3 12th, the party hole, in Adelaide. He executed a perfect nine-iron shot there for a hole-in-one, resulting in wild celebrations from the jam-packed course at The Grange.
While that unforgettable shot is sure to propel him forward in his career, which now includes membership on the Asian Tour, it is the recent form of his big brother that is a huge motivation as well.
“I’ve always loved watching my brother play. For me, he’s one of the best to ever pick up a golf club. And when he plays well, I do get motivated to do better myself,” said Chase, who called Brooks his “biggest asset.”
“It’s great to see Brooks back in that form. Obviously, he’s also my captain. I can lean on him a lot and pick his brain. And he’s always there for me trying to help me play better. It’s so nice to see him get back into that mindset. And you can see it in his face when he’s playing that way. He’s really locked in.
“I wasn’t out there at the Masters, but I watched it all on TV. I’m a nervous wreck when he’s playing. It’s way easier to play myself and not worry about any shot that I am hitting. I now have a much greater appreciation for how my parents felt watching us play growing up.
“Brooks was a bit frustrated not getting the job done. However, at the end of the day, if he had to tell himself 18 months ago that he would have had a chance to win the Masters, he would have taken it.”
Chase said he is unlikely to forget the 12th hole at The Grange.
“The crowd in Adelaide was amazing. It was not just the celebration on the 12th hole, but I was getting standing ovations on every tee I went to. Throughout the rest of the day, it was a special moment for me and my caddy. I can’t wait to get back there next year,” he said.
“There’s always so much luck involved in something like that going in, but it could not have happened on a better hole. The cool part was different players telling me their stories of how they heard the roar all around the golf course.”
