Brooks Koepka sets sights on growing LIV Golf dynasty - all with the help of Graeme McDowell

Professional golf is not a sport you would usually associate with franchise brands, but LIV Golf and more specifically Brooks Koepka are on a quest to change that.

Koepka became one of the headline names to leave the PGA Tour for the LIV setup following its inception, and the five-time major champion has not looked back since. On the course, Koepka has added to three LIV Golf titles to his trophy cabinet, whilst banking £24 million in tournament earnings.

Not to mention impressing on the major stage too, after following up a career-best tied-second finish at last April’s Masters, with victory at the PGA Championship just one month later.

Away from the action, the 33-year-old is hard at work off the course too following the formation of his LIV franchise Smash GC. Koepka has announced the team as one of the fasting growing on the breakaway circuit, especially after the addition of the league’s most in-form player in Talor Gooch during the offseason.

It is not just the world of golf where Koepka is looking grow his brand though, having ventured into horse racing alongside one of his other new teammates in Graeme McDowell. Last December ‘Smash Racing’ took over ownership of the Harry Derham-trained Givemefive, who in that time has amassed wins at Market Rasen and Warwick, as well as a runner-up at Kempton.

For Koepka, expanding the Smash brand into a new sport was all thanks to his latest signing in McDowell. “I’ve known Harry [Derham] for about 10 years,” McDowell told Mirror Sport in an interview alongside Koepka. “We [McDowell and his caddie Ken Comboy] always joked when he had his own yard that we would have a horse with him.

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Givemefive runs in the Smash GC colours

“We bought Fourofakind in 2022 with a few other guys from the Cleeks and Rickie who works with Brooks was apart of that syndicate and there was always plenty of talk in the locker room about the horse and BK was always showing a little bit of interest.” McDowell played alongside Derham in the LIV London Pro-Am at Centurion, and it was a lost bet here then saw the the Northern Irishman acquire another horse from the yard.

Aptly the name of the runner in question was ‘Givemefive’ and with Koepka fresh off a major victory No. 5, it appeared the stars had aligned to grow the Smash brand even further. “[Derham] was playing in the Pro-Am with me,” McDowell added. “We were joking on a par-three, I hit a good shot and I said ‘if you can hitting closer than that Harry, I’ll buy another horse off you’.”

Moments later, the trainer fired his approach to six feet and the Smash Racing syndicate was born. For Koepka it was entering slightly into the unknown, but so far it is something he has enjoyed. “I enjoy watching horse races, I mean it is little bit different, the jumping is different for me,” he said. “I’d never watched the jumping so that is new.”

“The whole goal is to build a brand that is global,” Koepka said of the Smash setup. “To have Smash Racing has been really cool to see. You like at it, it’s our team colours. He has been wearing the team colours, it is cool to see even the small little nuances that have come from the trade to the racing.”

Having clearly got the bug after the acquisition of Givemefive, Koepka also revealed he has plans to expand the Smash Racing investment event further. He added: “It has given me and my family and my friends something to cheer for, it will be something for the future and hopefully we can get a few more.”

When it comes to Givemefive, the four-year-old had a banked a spot into this year’s Cheltenham Festival on the back of victory in February, however trainer Derham opted to skip the opportunity with the horse fresh off the run at Kempton. Koepka however is hopeful of an entry to the biggest week of racing later down the line. Quizzed on potentially getting the chance to take his horse to the biggest week on the racing calendar, the American aptly responded: “That would be awesome.”