Coming off a T12 finish at the US Open, Brooks Koepka had been predicted to push on and contend at LIV Golf Dallas, but it was quite the opposite for the five-time Major winner.
Played at Maridoe Golf Club, players battled near 100-degree heat and, for Koepka, the American struggled, sitting seven-over-par through eight holes and eventually withdrawing due to illness
Lineup change for @SmashGC at #LIVGolf Dallas presented by Aramco.Brooks Koepka departs after 8 holes with illness.Reserve Luis Carrera to replace him for remainder of Rd. 1. Their combined score will count only for the team total.Koepka could return this weekend to…June 27, 2025
Birdieing the second hole, his opening hole of the day, Koepka then made uncharacteristic triple bogeys at the fifth and seventh which saw him go from one-under to five-over.
Back-to-back bogeys followed at the ninth and 10th and, with Koepka's frustrations starting to show on the ninth, where he slammed his driver into the ground and smashed a tee marker, he withdrew.
Replaced by Reserve Luis Carrera for the remainder of the round, who carded a one-over-par score, Koepka could well return to the course over the weekend but, according to LIV Golf Communications, his score would only go towards the team.
The withdrawal from the Smash GC captain was the third of the event, with a returning Matt Wolff also withdrawing from the tournament with injury, being replaced by Ollie Schniederjans.
Wolff, who withdrew at LIV Golf Virginia, was making his first start back, but was forced to pull out before the tournament even began, just like Cleeks GC's Frederik Kjettrup, who was forced out with injury and replaced by German, Max Rottluff.
In fact, at one point on Friday, all three Reserve players were on-course and it led to the question of who'd step up if one more player withdrew. Fortunately, that moment didn't occur at Maridoe Golf Club.
After the first round, it's 4Aces GC who dominate proceedings, with three of their players in the top five and two of them sharing the lead.
Carding a five-under 67, both Harold Varner III and Patrick Reed are tied at the top, with the pair one shot clear of Legion XIII GC captain Jon Rahm and two shots clear of Fireballs GC's Abraham Ancer.
