Darren Carroll/PGA of America
There’s nothing the internet loves to do more than create a conspiracy out of nothing. With Brooks Koepka winning the PGA Championship, of course something was going to be conjured out of thin air, and Twitter immediately jumped on a confusing exchange between Koepka and PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh. The two didn’t shake hands as they greeted each beside the Wanamaker Trophy and Waugh seemed to whisper something as he walked away, leaving Koepka to smirk and shake his head.
What’s going on with Seth Waugh here. Could he not bring himself to give Brooks a hand shake? Brooks is like “Wtf, man” ?@golfproryan pic.twitter.com/KgeooixOOH
— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) May 22, 2023
What did this all mean? Was there something sensational afoot? As it turns out, probably not.
In a conversation with Todd Lewis of the Golf Channel, Waugh broke down what actually happened and what he and the five-time major winner briefly discussed.
I spoke with PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh today. He told me he’s known Brooks since he was in the eighth grade. He’s always admired and liked Brooks and said he couldn’t be happier that he has his 3rd Wanamaker. As for the perceived awkward encounter: https://t.co/F6cBZgzIIY pic.twitter.com/xNI6v466u5
— Todd Lewis (@ToddLewisGC) May 24, 2023
“I literally said to him, ‘I think they have four million pictures of me. They must have 24 million pictures of you. I’ve never seen one of them and I don’t know if you ever have,’” Waugh explained. “He cracked up, he laughed and we kind of turned around and smiled at each other. That was it.
“Somebody chose to think that was a diss and I hadn’t shaken his hand. I already talked to him five times since he won. I certainly shook his hand and told him how proud I was of him. It couldn’t be sillier or further from the truth and everybody is trying to make it into this LIV thing which it’s got nothing to do with.”
???? PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh says Brooks Koepka will be welcome on the @RyderCupUSA team if he auto qualifies as a top 6 points earner: “If he plays his way on the team, we will welcome him.” (Via: @ToddLewisGC) pic.twitter.com/GVs8cOdP0E
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) May 24, 2023
So, there you go. It’s all fine between the PGA CEO and the reigning PGA champ. Glad we got that settled.