Brooks Koepka Wife, Jena Sims, Miscarriage Took Toll on 2023 Run
brooks koepka wife Jena Sims was part of the reason his season felt so heavy last year, with Koepka saying family issues, including her miscarriage at 16 weeks pregnant, took a toll on his play. He said home is in a much better place now, and that showed Thursday when he broke 70 in the first round at Aronimink Golf Club outside Philadelphia.
Koepka at Aronimink
The 70 mattered because it came as Koepka tried to reset his season at the PGA Championship. He is chasing a fourth PGA Championship victory after winning in 2018, 2019 and 2023, and he has now returned to the PGA Tour this season after spending four years with LIV Golf.
That first-round start gave him something cleaner than last year’s frustration. Koepka said it has been a long time since he has had fun playing golf, and he described last year as personally difficult because of what was going on off the golf course.
Jena Sims and home life
Koepka said the miscarriage at 16 weeks pregnant was one part of a wider run of family issues that affected him. He called it tough to deal with and said, “It’s easier to come out to work when everything at home lines up. Everything’s a lot better. Last year was just difficult personally with what was going on off the golf course, nothing to do on it. It was just off.”
He added that he was very frustrated last year, then said, “So, yeah, just being in a better place. It’s exciting. It’s a little bit of a fresh start as well. I think that’s a big piece of it. Yeah, when all that kind of lines up, it makes it enjoyable to be out here.”
Major chase for Koepka
Koepka also said last week, “It’s been a long time since I’ve had fun playing golf. I was very frustrated last year. Just wasn’t in a good place, but I think a lot of times when you — it’s like anybody, right? If they’re happy off the golf course, they’re going to play well on the golf course. I think that’s a huge, huge piece of it, and I’ve found that,” before adding, “Refound my happiness, my love for the game. All the pieces are connected. It’s just now I’ve got to go out and go play.”
That is the next test at Aronimink. Koepka is a five-time major winner, but the PGA Championship is the one he has owned most often, and Thursday’s opening round gave him a better platform to chase Walter Hagen, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only four-time winners of the event.
