In a dramatic scene at LIV Golf Dallas, Brooks Koepka unleashed his frustration on a tee marker after a dismal start, only to withdraw later, citing illness and a seventh-inning slump of golf karma.

Brooks Koepka's tee mark-swinging tantrum came as he plummeted to six over par within just eight holes, highlighting his extended battle with golf mediocrity—it's been nine majors since he even sniffed a top-10 finish. As Koepka steps away nursing a pandemic of bad golf vibes, his team Smash GC prepares to welcome Luis Carrera, hoping the only thing that flies today is the golf ball, not club debris.

Koepka's troubles began early in the tournament, as he found himself in hot water on the fifth and seventh holes, both of which he carded as triple bogeys. It’s like golf was playing a cruel game of 'how low can you go,' and Brooks was the unintentional star. By the time he reached the ninth hole, his frustration boiled over, leading to a dramatic clash with the cherubic-looking tee marker that had the audacity to stay firmly planted despite his best swinging efforts.

In a fit of pique, Koepka slammed his club into the ground, taking the tee marker with it. The offending piece of equipment launched itself toward the crowd, no doubt finding a new career as an errant projectile. The spectators were likely grateful he didn't take a swing at one of them, though I'm sure the prospect of catching a golf club had its own charm.

After his comical spat with the ground and the ill-fated tee marker, Koepka made the decision to withdraw from the tournament altogether. Citing illness, it seemed that his golf game wasn’t the only thing that was feeling under the weather. Perhaps he should have taken a cue from the notoriously resilient tee markers—those things almost never back down.

But this wasn’t an isolated incident for Koepka. This season's string of misfortunes has been heavy enough to launch a minor investigation into what golf gods he may have offended. With the Masters and PGA Championship firmly in his rearview mirror, each missing cut has given him and his fans more angst than a last-minute paper due at school. It would seem that being a champion doesn’t automatically come with a lifetime guarantee of top-tier performance.

Reflecting on the past few months, Koepka was candid about his struggles, admitting, 'I have not been happy with my performance.' A frank proclamation from a man who has watched his once-glorious swing devolve into what can only be described as a series of unfortunate events. Mental fortitude is indeed a tricky beast when you're facing the ghosts of tournaments past, and it appears Koepka has been haunted by more than just his erratic strokes.

As the team Smash GC bids farewell to Koepka, they did not waste time searching for a replacement. Enter Luis Carrera, a new face ready to hit the course while Koepka seeks solace from his underwhelming scores. Carrera will now don the Smash GC colors, and one can't help but hope he doesn’t bring any of Koepka's notorious bad luck along with him.

Golf, despite its soothing image, often resembles a mental battle as players grapple with self-doubt and the weight of expectations. For Koepka, it's a reminder that even the mighty can stumble—but not without a dramatic flair. And as the LIV Golf Dallas tournament unfurls, we can only keep our expectations for the newly formed team in check, while entertaining our imaginations with what it would be like to face off against an agitated golf tee.