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Matthew Wolff said Friday it was “heartbreaking” that LIV Golf teammate and Smash GC captain Brooks Koepka would criticize him as the former deals with ongoing mental health challenges.

Koepka’s comments to Sports Illustrated earlier this week came on the heels of Wolff withdrawing from a tournament outside Washington in May prior to the final round, citing an undisclosed injury. The five-time major winner also criticized the 24-year-old’s work ethic.

“I mean, when you quit on your round, you give up and stuff like that, that’s not competing,” the 33-year-old Koepka said to Sports Illustrated. “I’m not a big fan of that. You don’t work hard. It’s very tough. It’s very tough to have even like a team dynamic when you’ve got one guy that won’t work, one guy is not going to give any effort, he’s going to quit on the course, break clubs, gets down, bad body language, it’s very tough. I’ve basically given up on him — a lot of talent, but I mean the talent’s wasted.”

Wolff said Koepka’s criticism was tough to take.

“To hear through the media that our team leader has given up on me is heartbreaking,” Wolff said in a statement to Sports Illustrated. “It’s not what a team member looks to hear from its leader, and I think we all know these comments should have been handled much differently. But I’m moving forward and won’t ever give up on myself. While on course results may not appear now to be positive indicators, I’m trying to win an even BIGGER game with my life.”

Wolff won the 3M Open in 2019 in his third pro start. He also held the 54-hole lead at the U.S. Open in 2020 before finishing the tournament as the runner-up to Bryson DeChambeau.

Wolff, however, opted to take a two-month break in 2021 to address his mental health. Those issues, he contends, remain with him to this day.

“While my 2023 season has not been all I had hoped for to this point, I have made positive strides in managing my life and feel (like) my game is turning for the positive,” Wolff told Sports Illustrated.

“I trust Brooks wants what is best for our team. But it’s hard to imagine his comments in his recent SI interview in any way line up with those priorities. This will be my last comment on this matter.”

Wolff resides 27th on LIV Golf’s money list, with only the top 24 guaranteeing a spot on the tour for next season.

–Field Level Media