Sometimes, people can be quick to judge, and Brooks Koepka has experienced this firsthand. He once said, “I just practice before the majors. Regular tournaments, I don’t practice,” and was soon labeled as arrogant. But behind that confidence lies a more grounded, personal side. One that only a few get to see. His wife, Jena Sims, recently offered a glimpse of it in a heartfelt Instagram post.

The wife of the 9-time PGA Tour winner shared a carousel of images and videos of the couple attending a Hard Rock Heals event. The post featured images of the two kissing each other, posing in front of the media, and Sims enjoying the event with Koepka’s mom, Denise Jakows.

Sharing the carousel, Sims wrote, “The first time I saw Brooks get vulnerable with me was on one of our first dates, ten years ago. He opened up about his mom’s fight against breast cancer while he was in college. I’ll never forget it. She fought the fight, and thank GOD she won, because I can’t imagine a world without her. The three of us had a blast supporting @si_swimsuit @hardrockholly #pinktober for @americancancersociety last night 💞 #hardrockheals.”

The caption reflects the initial days of the couple’s knowing each other. “We met at the 2015 Masters,” Sims told Golf Digest in 2018. Then they went public during the US Open 2017. Since the caption reads that the vulnerable Brooks Koepka moment is from 10 years ago, the LIV golfer likely shared this when they were friends or had just started dating. This reveals a side of Koepka that contrasts sharply with his public image.

That vulnerability runs deeper than most realize. In 2011. Denise Jakows was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in 2011. Brooks Koepka left Florida State University temporarily to help care for her while she underwent chemotherapy. His younger brother, Chase, was there too, supporting both their mother and Brooks. She completed her final round of treatment just before Brooks made his U.S. Open debut in 2012. For him, golf soon became more than a career. It was a way to honor his mother’s fight and channel the strength he saw in her

Koepka spoke to Golfweek about his mental state. He said, “I’m pretty self-motivated and I had a lot of growing up to do. I needed to re-focus. (I needed to) be driven so I can get to my goal of being on the PGA Tour. I had to make some decisions. It helped me get focused on what I wanted to do with my life. I have to give my brother a lot of props on that. He pushed me toward it. He pushed me to see what I could do.”

In Jena’s post, the couple was attending a special occasion held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood to support the American Cancer Society during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This event celebrated the 26th annual PINKTOBER campaign in partnership with Hard Rock International and SI Swimsuit. It included meet-and-greets with SI Swimsuit models. A special PINKTOBER merchandise collection was also on sale. The money made through the merchandise was donated to the American Cancer Society. In fact, this is not the first time that Sims has put Brook Koepka’s personal side on the show.

Earlier this year, she shared about Koepka’s bond with his son. When doing a Q&A session on Instagram, Sims was asked if Koepka does diaper changes and all things baby. “He is the absolute best. He does it all (when he’s home) he’s been thrown up on, he brushes teeth, sucks snot, comes to toddler classes… u name it he’s always wanted to be a dad,” she replied.

These vulnerable moments show that, regardless of how the world sees him, Koepka has a soft side, too. It’s just that he doesn’t show this side to everyone. Only those who know Koepka closely know about his lighter side.

While Sims have shared their involvement in cancer awareness events recently, they are not the only ones involved. Many golfers participate in such cancer-related events to spread awareness and support those in need.

Golfers involved in cancer awareness

One notable example when it comes to this topic is Rory McIlroy, who has taken a proactive role in spreading cancer awareness. Back in 2014, the 29-time PGA Tour winner donated £1 million through his charitable Rory Foundation. The amount was dedicated to a center that supports children with cancer and their families. He also actively engaged with the children staying at the center. After one such meeting, McIlroy said, “I was just blown away, I really was. It really makes you appreciate what you have and I wanted to help in any way that I could.” Tiger Woods is also someone who experienced the challenges of cancer firsthand.

His father, Earl Woods, passed away from prostate cancer in 2006. Since then, Woods has engaged with his fans, fighting the chronic disease. In 2019, he recorded a video message for Daniel Meggs, a former Wake Forest golfer with colon cancer, encouraging him to “keep fighting”. In 2021, he met with and encouraged 10-year-old Luna Perrone, who was battling a rare form of cancer, and told her to stay strong.

Additionally, Mark and Paige Anderson host the annual “Golfing for Gynecologic Cancer” charity tournament focused on raising awareness and funds for gynecologic cancers. “I am excited to have been able to raise the money we have via my passion for golf,” said Anderson, speaking about the happiness he gets from using the money collected through the annual event.

Brook Koepka’s story joins those of other golfers who continue to raise awareness and funds for cancer awareness. Together, their efforts bring hope and highlight the human side of professional golf.