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Months After His ‘Wasted Talent’ Criticism, Brooks Koepka Finds an Unexpected Ally in Jilted LIV Teammate’s Closest Aide

Published 09/07/2023, 7:50 AM EDT

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24-year-old Matthew Wolff has gone through a rough patch on the greens in the past few years, despite a promising start to his career. While he has been trying to get back in the groove, recent performances haven’t displayed a sign of the same. Over a month ago, his LIV Smash GC captain, Brooks Koepka, even called out the 1-time PGA Tour victor for his loose attempts in the participating events, leading to the first internal conflict within LIV Golf.

Though the young golfer tried to erase the contemplations pointing at his game at Greenbrier, the golf world still seemed stuck on Koepka’s comment regarding the golf star. The recent podcast, addressing the concern about the young star’s gameplay, gives an indication of the same. And on the podcast, siding with the 5-time major winner was a close aid to Californian native Wolff!

Renowned coach joins hands with Brooks Koepka in spirit

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No Laying Up is a name well-known in the golf world for bringing forth authentic news and opinions from various entities. The four golf geeks, passionate about addressing the correct narratives, once again highlighted a similar matter. Hosting the Rank 11 golf coach, George Gankas, on their channel, the topic revolved around the major inside controversy of LIV Golf.

Gankas, talking about his pupil Matthew Wolff, directly mentioned the fact that he has been surrounding the talented player since the mere age of 13. Calling him his kid, he stated how the young star has had a lot of potential since his early days. However, one unfortunate thing that has continued up until now is the golfer not working on his game if he doesn’t wish to play, per the coach.

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Acknowledging his bad run on the field, he mentioned taking any sort of blame if the golfer had had any change in his swinging style. Though, according to Gankas, the change seems to be in Wolff’s mental outlook. While the failures on the greens have forced the young talent to stop and assess his game, Smash GC Captain Brooks Koepka’s comments on “wasting talent” added even more salt to his wounds.

The 52-year-old Gankas addressed Koepka’s comment, mentioning how this could have been handled in private. However, he did not seem to be in disagreement with what the Ryder Cup participant had to point out to his teammate. Despite condemning the public aspect of it, Wolff’s coach felt that it was a necessary wake-up call for the golf star.

Yet, had it been done in a more private manner, Wolff, per him, would have taken no time to accept his notable mistakes. Nonetheless, the mentor reiterated that he does not have any issues with Brooks Koepka over the matter. He additionally felt that the comment from the senior player would drive Wolff to his probable best in the upcoming events.

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Geoge Gankas points toward a possible cause behind Matthew Wolff’s bad form

The toppling that has been following the young Matt Wolff has left many confused, given how talented the professional is. One such name who isn’t sure of what might have unleashed this bedlam is Gankas. Pondering Wolff’s uncertain times, the 52-year-old said that he wasn’t sure what was behind the LIV golfer’s poor form.

It might have been due to the fact that he didn’t like actual attention and fame when he was initially playing his best golf, but it could also be simply because he didn’t want to play. And per the coach, if Wolff enters that element of his where he doesn’t feel like playing, no one can reach out to him. Despite this probability, Gankas believed the young athlete harbored immense talent and skills that weren’t going anywhere.

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This, he felt, would eventually help the golfer make a stronger statement in the future, as he has a lot of good years ahead of him. The experienced coach is certain that Matthew Wolff will rise to the top of the game again; the T3 finish at Greenbrier was just a glimpse of it.

Watch This Story: After a Successful LIV Golf Adelaide, $400M Worth CEO Greg Norman Set to Return to Australia With Another Big Announcement

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Written by:

Areeba Basharat

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Areeba Basharat is a Golf writer at EssentiallySports. She drives inspiration from the women players at the LPGA who've taken the sport to a level that allows female golfers to flourish and thrive with grace. Areeba defines her love for the sport by quoting legend, Michelle Wie West : "The first time I grabbed a golf club, I knew that I would do it for the rest of my life."
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Edited by:

Sheldon Pereira

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