“My heart is broken”: Brooks Koepka sends heartfelt prayers to victims of FSU Shooting
Brooks Koepka has reacted after the tragic news of an active shooting at Florida State University broke out today. The professional golfer has deep ties with the university since Koepka was a collegiate golfer at one point. He shared the update with his followers on X (previously Twitter).
There were already safety concerns about Tallahassee, shortly after a hit-and-run incident last year. On April 17, an active shooter opened fire at the FSU Student Union, leaving multiple people wounded. As reported by the Daily Record, at least six people are under treatment at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare.
Koepka shared a heartfelt note for all the wounded people in the FSU Shootings, with a warm gesture towards their families as well.
"My heart is broken reading the news 💔 Praying hard for my whole FSU family and Tallahassee 🙏," he wrote.
Koepka’s response during such an emergency situation amplifies his ties with the institution as an alumnus. It further sheds light on FSU alumni's strong network during moments of crisis.
As Brooks Koepka shared his note, reports are coming in of multiple public schools having declared early dismissal. The police have arrested a man in connection with the shootout, and Florida State University is currently under complete lockdown.
Koepka stepped foot in the professional circuit back in 2012. Before that, he was an active golfer under Florida State University. Brooks Koepka started playing as an amateur and secured wins in three events. He was also a three-time All-American before qualifying for the 2012 U.S. Open as an amateur.
Brooks Koepka is currently a part of the Saudi PIF-backed golf league. His last performance was in this year's Masters Tournament. Koepka missed the cut at Augusta National after scoring 5 over par 149 (74-75). This was his 10th attempt at securing the green jacket.
Brooks Koepka expressed his feelings before stepping into Augusta National
Just a few days before the Masters Tournament started, Brooks Koepka was busy competing in LIV Golf Miami. While at the Trump Doral Golf Club, he and Bryson DeChambeau were asked about lessons they learnt in Augusta.
Talking in the post-match conference, Koepka admitted that he has a lot to learn yet. He said (via ASAP Sports):
"There's a lot to learn. Every time you go play Augusta, I feel like your knowledge gets a little bit better about the place. I learned a lot. I'm not going to share everything. I can't give away all the secrets. But look, I've got a good idea how to play that place. I've finished second twice in '19 and then two years ago."
Notably, Brooks Koepka sounded a bit confident.
"I feel like I've got a good understanding of the golf course, how to play it for certain pins, different wind directions, things likes that. You've just got to go out and execute, point blank. You've got to play good, first off, and then give yourself a chance with nine holes to go," he added.
Koepka has yet to score a win in the prestigious golf major at Augusta National till now. The five-time major winner's best result in the Masters came twice, in 2019 and 2023, when he finished as runner-up and missed out on the Green Jacket by a tantalising margin.