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NHL star Aaron Ekblad had a message for LIV Golf's Brooks Koepka, which he shared in front of thousands of people. However, it might not have been what Koepka wanted to hear publicly over the mic.
On Sunday, June 30, Ekblad and his Florida Panthers teammates participated in the Stanley Cup Championship Parade following their thrilling 4-3 series victory over the Edmonton Oilers. This was their first-ever Stanley Cup title in franchise history.
During the celebration, Ekblad wore a traffic cone on his head and took the microphone to give a shoutout to Koepka.
"F*** you Brooks Koepka," he screamed.
Many fans might wonder why Ekblad made this gesture towards the five-time golf Major winner. For the uninitiated, last year Koepka had done a similar thing during one of the Florida Panthers games.
Koepka, who is a huge Panthers fan, was disappointed with the team's performance last March. He released his frustration specifically on Ekblad, who was having a tough outing.
Koepka called the Panthers defenseman a 'cone' and screamed that he 'sucked'. In the game's terminology, being called a traffic cone is quite insulting as it implies the defenseman is good for nothing.
In his defense, Koepka said he was a die-hard fan and would be the first to cheer them. Aaron Ekblad had initially said they would never be friends. However, he later revealed that the Smash GC's captain reached out to him and apologized for his remarks.
When will Brooks Koepka compete next?
Brooks Koepka will next be seen at the Real Club Valderrama this week for the LIV Golf Andalucía, which begins on Friday, July 11. He has already secured a win this season in Singapore, securing his fourth victory on the Saudi-backed circuit.
With one win and three other top-10 finishes, Koepka currently ranks sixth in the season standings. His team, Smash GC, are fifth in the standings with one win and two more podium finishes.
The 34-year-old golfer has also competed in all three Majors so far this year and has struggled to secure a top-25 finish in any of them. His best result came at the PGA Championship, where he shot 5-under to tie for 26th place. He also finished T26 at the US Open but aggregated an even-par score.
