Fowler to replace injured Koepka at Presidents Cup

World No.1 Brooks Koepka has announced overnight that he will not play the Presidents Cup in Melbourne next month and will be replaced by two-time Cup representative, Rickie Fowler.

The four-time major winner has been recuperating from a knee injury he suffered a month ago at the CJ Cup in South Korea and says he needs more time to fully recover.

Brooks Koepka (Credit: PGA Tour)

“I am announcing my withdrawal from the U.S. Presidents Cup Team because of my knee injury. I notified Captain Tiger Woods that despite constant medical care and rehab, I am not able to play golf at this time. I consider it to be a high honour to be part of the 2019 team and I regret not being able to compete.”

“Since my injury in Korea, I have been in constant contact with Tiger and assured him that I was making every effort to be 100 percent in time for the Presidents Cup in Australia. However, I need more time to heal.”

Koepka made his Presidents Cup debut in 2017 and finished with a 2-2-0 record while Fowler went undefeated at Liberty National that year with a 3-0-1 record.

“I spoke to Rickie and he has agreed to join the U.S. Team,” Woods said. “Rickie has played on a couple Presidents Cup teams, was someone seriously considered for a pick and is well respected and liked by his teammates. I know he’s going to do a great job for us.”

The Presidents Cup will return to the Royal Melbourne Golf Club for the third time from December 9-15, a venue where the International Team claimed their only win in the history of the tournament way back in 1998.