Koepka invested in race horse after $135m LIV deal - and may head for Cheltenham

23 January 2024 , 15:52

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LIV Golf rebel Brooks Koepka has now turned his hand to horse racing with a horse that is tipped to feature at Cheltenham (Image: Getty)

LIV Golf rebel Brooks Koepka is putting his major cash influx to good use by investing in a race horse which is tipped to feature at Cheltenham.

The American star is one of the most high-profile names to have departed the PGA Tour for the riches of the Gulf State circuit, making the switch back in 2022. The five-time major champion was reported to have made in the region of $53 million when it comes to on-course earnings that year, as per Forbes.

As a former World No. 1 he also received an initial fee of $130m, according golf journalist Alan Shipnuck's book 'LIV and Let Die', which chronicled the coaxing of the US hero. Now, it appears that Koepka has decided to enter the horse racing industry following his agreement.

The 33-year-old is an investor in a horse named 'Givemefive', which recently raced at Warwick and won by some 18 lengths. The horse is potentially in line for a triumphant appearance at Cheltenham, competing at the Triumph Hurdle or the Boodles handicap race.

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According to the Telegraph, his unlikely ownership of the racehorse came about after trainer Harry Derham had a bet with golfer Graeme McDowell. Denham explained: "Because I trained a winner for Graeme last season, he invited me to a LIV pro-am game at Centurion Golf Club [in St Albans] in the summer. We got to the sixth hole, he’d seen how terrible my golf was and he said we do a 'nearest the pin'.

The rest is history, with McDowell now sharing ownership of the horse, alongside Koepka and the latter's pal Daniel Gambill. The four-year-old bay gelding competes for Smash Racing, with its owners often keeping a close eye on its fortunes from further afield locations.

Still, Koepka's joy at the progress of 'Givemefive' was palpable as the horse kept up its unblemished record with a two wins in two at Warwick. The American golfing star was delighted by the result, taking to Twitter/X to say: "Dominant showing from Givemefive, congrats team."

Paul O'Brien rode Givemefive to victory at Warwick Racecourse

It remains to be seen whether he will be there in person to see the horse compete at Cheltenham, if he is to indeed compete. As it stands, there is a gap in his schedule with the fourth event of the LIV Golf calendar set to take place in Hong Kong on March 10 - two days prior to the world-famous festival.

Following on from this, Koepka's next slated event is in April, leaving a large window of opportunity for the American to potentially make the trip to England. He would not be the only golf star to have descended on the festival in recent years, either.

Fellow LIV Golf rebel Lee Westwood famously won £48,000 at the festival nearly five years ago from a £240 bet and is a regular at the racecourse. The previous year, he was brought to tears after 66-1 outsider 'Yorkhill' unexpectedly won at the Rehearsal Chase in Newcastle.

Tom Beattie