Following a five-plus-year run as an equipment free agent, Brooks Koepka is off the market.
The four-time major winner was officially unveiled as a member of Cleveland/Srixon’s Tour staff on Monday, just days after the equipment manufacturer released a cryptic video on social media teasing the signing.
Financial terms of the multi-year agreement were not disclosed, but the deal is no doubt a significant one for both parties.
As part of the deal, Koepka will play a Srixon ZX5 driver, ZX7 irons (4-PW), Z-Star Prototype ball and Cleveland RTX ZipCore (Tour Rack Raw) wedges in the upcoming match against Bryson DeChambeau. He’ll also sport Srixon’s Tour staff bag — one of the most lucrative advertising spaces for a pro golfer.
“I’ve been an equipment free agent for the past few years,” Koepka said in a release, “so it will be fun to be involved with a company on a daily basis and be able to contribute to the development of their future equipment.”
Reigning Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama remains Cleveland/Srixon’s most marketable staffer — from a global perspective — but with Koepka now in the fold, the company now boasts two of the biggest names in the sport.
“We’re extremely proud to have Brooks come on board as our newest staff member,” said Rodney McDonald, Srixon’s vice president of tour operations. “He’s one of the best players in the world and brings his major championship pedigree and validation to our brands. We’re excited for Brooks to join the Srixon and Cleveland Golf family and look forward to supporting him out on tour.”
Koepka has been a wanted man since Nike Golf exited the hard-goods space in 2016. Outside of Koepka, every notable member of the Swoosh’s now-defunct equipment staff — Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy included — signed elsewhere.
The decision to remain brand agnostic paid off big for Koepka, who won four major titles in the span of three years to push his valuation to a number that no equipment manufacturer was comfortable matching at the time.
“It’s probably a stupid number for a four-time major winner — somewhere in the $3 to $7 million range per year without the hat,” two veteran golf-equipment marketers told GOLF.com in 2019. “That’s based on just his playing resume. Would he get that? Maybe not. But he’d probably get somewhere in the $3 to $4 million range.”
While Koepka will need to get comfortable with the driver, wedges and ball in a “game” situation, the ZX7 irons won’t require an adjustment period. Koepka first started playing the irons in January at the American Express and found the winner’s circle two weeks later at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
“It is the best iron I have played on Tour,” Koepka said of the ZX7.
Koepka is the first domino to fall in what should be a busy offseason for pros with expiring equipment contracts. Think of it as an early Christmas present for gearheads who normally have to wait until January for pros to officially switch brands.
Brooks Koepka’s Cleveland/Srixon gear
Driver: Srixon ZX5 | 9.5 degrees | Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 70g TX shaft (44.5 inches cut, tipped an inch) | D1 ½ – D2 SW | Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord midsize round grips
Irons: Srixon ZX7 | 4-PW | True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 shafts (standard length; 38.25-inch 4-iron) | D1 SW | Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord midsize round grips
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore (Tour Rack Raw) | 52 Mid, 56 Mid, 60 Low degrees | True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shafts | Standard length/lie | D3 SW | Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord midsize round grips
Cleveland RTX ZipCore wedge
Ball: Srixon Z-Star Prototype
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