“See the PGA Tour Shaking”: A Year After Charles Barkley’s Nasty Claim, Brooks Koepka’s $3,150,000 Win Might Just Have Proven Him Right

The game of Golf is heavily intertwined with the NBA. Capital One’s ‘The Match‘ has brought NBA stars to the golf course for years in succession. Apart from Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley is probably the biggest fan of the sport within the NBA community, participating in ‘The Match‘ and becoming an avid golfer of sorts. Away from the court, Barkley has managed to forge quite a successful career as a TV analyst. Appearing on TNT’s ‘Inside the NBA’, Barkley is quite an opinionated individual and has faced flak on multiple occasions for his statements. One such comment he made a year ago seems to have been proven right, though.

The PGA’s merger with the Saudi-backed LIV made Barkley’s nasty claims into a reality.

Charles Barkley’s initial reaction to the introduction of LIV

In early 2022, it was announced that a new golf series dubbed LIV was to be launched to rival the PGA tour. This news shocked golf fans worldwide, as the decision meant that big names opted out of the PGA and DP world tours. While the golf fan base was torn apart about the decision, NBA legend Charles Barkley weighed in with his own opinions on the matter.

Speaking to golf digest about it, he stated. “I want all the LIV guys at the top of the leaderboard. I want to see the PGA Tour shaking in their boots.” This statement was made after it was revealed that the LIV Tour would be providing a significantly higher cash prize. The tour promised a staggering $250 million in prize money, which fractured the golf world.

While few believed that the money was going to ruin the game, Barkley and many others felt otherwise. Stating his nasty claims, he explained, “I don’t judge other people. Listen if somebody gave me $200 million, I’d kill a relative I am serious.” His comments might have proven to be right.

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In the wake of LIV’s release, many pro golfers chose to ditch the PGA tour for the Saudi-backed company. One such golfer to change sides was the two-time U.S. Open winner, Brooks Koepka. Although a controversial decision at first, the latest merger of LIV with the PGA has brought a new light to Barkley’s previous claims.

After it was announced earlier this year that the three tours would become one entity, LIV Golfers have started to participate in PGA tours once again. Brooks Koepka celebrated that news in style as he won the PGA Championship 2023. Winning a sum of $3.15 million, the American received a $2.5 million bump, signifying the largest year-over-year increase in tournament history.

With a LIV-backed player winning a PGA tournament, while earning significantly more, did Koepka’s win prove Charles Barkley right? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.

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