Amid rumors of LIV Golf exit Brooks Koepka makes wholesome gesture for Hideki Matsuyama’s birthday

LIV golfer Brooks Koepka recently showcased a wholesome gesture toward his PGA Tour rival Hideki Matsuyama. Koepka brought in a birthday cake for the Japanese golfer as he turned 33 on February 25.

The two golfers were part of Srixon's tour shoot where Brooks Koepka decided to surprise Matsuyama with a cake. The Srixon shared the video on X with the caption:

"Happy Birthday, @hidekiofficial_! Srixon had a recent tour shoot and @BKoepka wanted to surprise Hideki with a cake."

Both golfers use Srixon clubs, and they recently attended their annual shoot where Koepka can be seen taking the cake and surprising the 33-year-old golfer. People standing around started singing Happy Birthday as soon as Matsuyama reached there.

This wholesome gesture from Brooks Koepka towards Hideki Matsuyama adds fuel to the rumors going around on social media of him leaving LIV Golf. According to reports, Koepka had signed a four-year deal, which will conclude at the end of the 2025 LIV Golf season.

The 2025 LIV Golf season started earlier this month with LIV Golf Riyadh and LIV Golf Adelaide. Koepka has competed in both these events and has registered T33 and T7, respectively, in both events.

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Is Brooks Koepka leaving LIV Golf?

Brooks Koepka joined LIV Golf back in 2022, reportedly for $100 million. The length of the contract was four years, which is about to end with the conclusion of the 2025 LIV Golf season. However, there have been rumors going around that the Smash GC skipper is not going to extend his contract and is quitting LIV Golf after 2025.

In 2023, prominent golf journalist Alan Shipnuck wrote in his article that Koepka had "buyer's remorse" over his move to LIV Golf.

Brooks Koepka is said to have buyer's remorse - Source: Imagn

"I’m hearing a lot of rumblings that Brooks Koepka has buyer’s remorse," Alan Shipnuck said [via Golf Monthly]. "The guy has one of the biggest egos in golf, and as the PGA Tour creates ever-increasing buzz with its elevated events and even the state-sanctioned TGL, Koepka has to feel like he’s on the outside looking in."

Moreover, Koepka recently visited the SoFi Center with his wife, Jena Sims, where he was spotted interacting with PGA Tour stars like Max Homa and Kevin Kisner. So this added even more fuel to the fire of him leaving LIV Golf.

However, during the LIV Golf Adelaide event, Koepka accepted that R&A and USGA are looking at LIV Golf as part of the golf ecosystem, as they have allotted spots for LIV golfers for the US Open and The Open Championship.

"I think the organizations around the world, the R&A, the USGA, they're looking at LIV Golf as part of the golf ecosystem now. With that is a huge, huge step forward for us. Hopefully, we have a player that's not exempt that's up there ready to go and gets in another major because all it does is just add value to this league and to each team," Koepka said.

So, it will be interesting to see if Brooks Koepka extends his contract or decides to call it quits and return to the PGA Tour.