Brooks Koepka still believes some players will ‘sell out’ and join breakaway golf league

Brooks Koepka believes some players will still join a breakaway league, despite the backlash following Phil Mickelson’s explosive comments on the Saudi-backed circuit.
Rory McIlroy said the potential league was “dead in the water” on Sunday after Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau joined him and the likes of Tiger Woods, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa and Koepka himself in pledging their future to the PGA Tour.
McIlroy also took aim at the “naive, selfish, egotistical, ignorant” comments made by Mickelson in which the six-time major winner accused the PGA Tour of acting like a “dictatorship” and admitted he was using the threat of a breakaway to “reshape” how the Tour operates.
A Statement from Phil Mickelson pic.twitter.com/2saaXIxhpu
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) February 22, 2022
Mickelson apologised for his “reckless” comments on Tuesday and said he will be taking a break from golf, but still insisted the way the sport is run needs to change and praised the “visionaries” he had worked with on the rival league.
Koepka said he had “skimmed” Mickelson’s lengthy statement and added: “He can think whatever he wants to think, man.
“He can do whatever he wants to do. I think everybody out here is happy. I think a lot of people out here have the same opinion.”
Asked in a press conference ahead of the Honda Classic if the threat of the Saudi league had been eradicated, Koepka added: “I think it’s going to still keep going. I think there will still be talk.

“Everyone talks about money. They’ve got enough of it. I don’t see it backing down; they can just double up and they’ll figure it out. They’ll get their guys. Somebody will sell out and go to it.”
Mickelson has not played competitively since finishing in a tie for 18th in the Saudi International earlier this month and did not put a timeframe on his absence from the game.
“I have made a lot of mistakes in my life and many have been shared with the public,” the 51-year-old said. “My intent was never to hurt anyone and I’m so sorry to the people I have negatively impacted.

“I have experienced many successful and rewarding moments that I will always cherish, but I have often failed myself and others too. The past 10 years I have felt the pressure and stress slowly affecting me at a deeper level.
“I know I have not been my best and desperately need some time away to prioritise the ones I love most and work on being the man I want to be.”
Mickelson said he has offered to end contracts with any sponsors that feel they can no longer back him and KPMG announced shortly after Mickelson’s statement that it had “mutually agreed” to end their partnership.
Rolex declined to comment on its future relationship with Mickelson, while representatives of Callaway and Workday have also been approached by the PA news agency for comment.
Latest
-
European Tour
England’s Matt Wallace moves into contention at halfway stage of Dutch Open
A second round of 67 at Bernardus Golf gave Wallace a halfway total of eight under par and left him two shots behind Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia.
-
News
Rory McIlroy sees last week’s US PGA Championship as ‘one that got away’
He held a one-shot lead after an opening five-under-par 65 at Southern Hills.
-
PGA Tour
Justin Thomas switches focus to Texas after ‘unfathomable’ US PGA win
The former world number one won the championship for a second time on Sunday.
-
PGA Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick: Falling short at US PGA Championship ‘hurts a hell of a lot’
Fitzpatrick carded a closing three-over-par 73 to miss out on the play-off between eventual winner Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris by two shots.
-
PGA Championship
Justin Thomas pays tribute to caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay after his US PGA victory
Phil Mickelson’s former bagman gave Thomas a crucial pep talk after he shot 74 on Saturday.
-
PGA Championship
Tommy Fleetwood confident he is ‘coming out the other side’ after dip in form
Fleetwood finished in a tie for fifth at the US PGA Championship.
-
PGA Championship
Emotional Justin Thomas credits his experience for US PGA victory
Thomas also won the 2017 US PGA at Quail Hollow.
-
PGA Championship
Justin Thomas eclipses Will Zalatoris in play-off to claim second US PGA title
The former world number one’s victory equalled the biggest comeback in US PGA history.
-
PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy’s Sunday charge at US PGA Championship ends in disappointment
McIlroy’s closing 68 in Tulsa was followed by him declining to speak to waiting reporters.
-
PGA Championship
Paul McGinley says Tiger Woods deserves better than to be a ‘ceremonial golfer’
The 46-year-old withdrew from a major championship for the first time in his professional career at Southern Hills.