Brooks Koepka was one of the LIV Golf League's biggest signings when he moved over from the PGA Tour in June 2022, and to this day he remains of the most important players for the 54-hole circuit.
Koepka is the only player to have won a Major while an active LIV golfer, and that arrived at the 2023 PGA Championship. 12 months later, and the American stands a very good chance of defending his crown and creating more history at Valhalla.
But in all of his celebratory photos last year, the 34-year-old was not papped wearing any LIV apparel. And the same will be true this year whether he triumphs or not.
That is because Koepka is exclusively signed with Nike for apparel and Srixon in terms of his tour bag. The American has worn the Swoosh since 2016, joining the likes of Tony Finau and Denny McCarthy in agreeing a deal at the time.
Despite being captain of his LIV team, Koepka is the only squad member not to wear Smash GC apparel or headwear. The rest of Smash GC wear brand, Redvanly - the company Koepka's team partnered with in March 2024.
Commenting on the deal at the time, all of Smash GC were quoted aside from captain, Koepka. Jason Kokrak said: "I love the fit, feel, and style of the line and look forward to wearing it the rest of the 2024 season."
Graeme McDowell also praised Redvanly for producing "a world-class product that I am excited to take to the course in 2024 as a Smash GC player," and Talor Gooch also shared his excitement, saying: “the style and fit for both on and off the course are second to none.”
Redvanly also partnered with Smash's LIV rivals, Majesticks GC - made up of Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, and Sam Horsfield.
Interestingly, Nike did temporarily team up with Koepka's side just before the foursome's deal with Redvanly, with a pair of Smash-branded Air Jordans posted on social media back in January. They were not available for sale, though, likely just used as a marketing ploy.
Smashing into 2024 ❗️💥⛳️ pic.twitter.com/AxEBhPWa4tJanuary 10, 2024
What Shoes Is Brooks Koepka Wearing At The PGA Championship?
Brooks Koepka is wearing a special PGA Championship edition of the Nike Air Zoom Infinity Tour NEXT% 2 NRG Golf Shoes at Valhalla this week.
This is the second offering in the NRG range from Nike, following on from the white Masters collection that were released in April. The PGA Championship-edition shoe features more spikes, a brand-new CMP foam, and a flatter profile, resulting in an extremely comfortable golf shoe.
The cushioned insole, midsole foam, and Flyweave material all aided comfort while - on a practical level - the stability and traction was good too, as is the fact they are 100% waterproof. Perfect for those impending showers in Louisville.
On the design, which features nods to Kentucky's history and famous exports, Nike said: "This special edition Infinity Tour has barrel-aged bourbon browns and smoked streaks of razor-sharp oranges that nod to Kentucky. A wood grain graphic on the Swoosh logo and a tree trunk-inspired outsole highlight a design rooted in tradition and timber."
