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You can bet on Brooks Koepka's career major total now—and Brooks probably won't be too pleased about it

May 21, 2019
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Stuart Franklin

At his pre-PGA Championship press conference last week, Brooks Koepka explained why he feels it's easier for him to win majors and stated, "I don't see any reason why I can't get to double digits." Despite backing up those big words with a wire-to-wire win at Bethpage Black to quickly run his total to four major titles, Las Vegas doesn't seem as bullish on his final tally being that high.

On Tuesday, Westgate Las Vegas Superbook golf oddsmaker Jeff Sherman set the over/under for Koepka's career total at 7.5 (by his 50th birthday on May 3, 2020) in a new prop bet. And he made the under a clear favorite. Here's the prop:

In other words, a winning wager of $100 on over 7.5 would pay $130, while you'd have to risk $150 to try to win $100 on the under. Interesting.

On one hand, it's easy to follow the Koepka thinking that he'll get to at least 10. After all, he has won four of his last eight starts in the game's biggest events and having just turned 29—not to mention, being arguably the sport's fittest player—he could just be entering his prime.

On the other hand, winning eight or more majors is a LOT. In fact, only six golfers have ever won eight or more majors: Jack Nicklaus (18), Tiger Woods (15), Walter Hagen (11), Ben Hogan (9), Gary Player (9), and Tom Watson (8). Arnold Palmer, for instance, ended his legendary career with seven. And keep in mind, a 25-year-old Rory McIlroy, after winning his fourth major at the 2014 PGA, seemed like as big of a lock to get to double digits as Koepka, but now he's working on nearly a five-year major drought.

In any event, those making this bet will need to be patient (unless Koepka keeps up this torrid pace for another couple years). And regardless of how it turns out, for now, Koepka has another perceived slight that he can use as motivation.