Jhelum Mehta
Jena Sims is turning the boos into big gains. During April’s Masters Tournament, where she was cheering on husband and five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model became a storyline of her own thanks to a series of headline-grabbing outfits around Augusta.
Some fans threw challenge flags over her fashion choices, sparking plenty of online chatter. But instead of taking a loss, Sims says the backlash has only boosted her profile. And her schedule has been booked solid ever since. Turns out the haters may have handed her the ultimate assist.
Jena Sims Reacts After Her Masters Outfits Sparked Internet Frenzy
Jena Sims may have taken some heat from fans during Masters week, but she’s treating the backlash like a victory lap.
Sims, who married Brooks Koepka in 2022, found herself at the center of social media debate after sporting a series of Masters-themed outfits at Augusta, including a terry-cloth pants-and-crop-top combo that drew plenty of criticism online. But instead of viewing the attention as a loss, Sims says it turned into a major win for her brand.
Appearing on The Viall Files this week, Sims recalled waking up to an internet pile-on after the tournament. When host Nick Viall asked how she handled being labeled “inappropriate” overnight, her answer sounded more like a player celebrating a breakout game than someone bothered by the noise.
“I loved it because it did wonders for my engagement,” Sims admitted. “It led to so many more opportunities. There might as well have been smoke coming out of the bottom of my phone.”
The model said she’d gone viral before, but nothing compared to the Masters frenzy, where fans and creators were posting reaction videos, dissecting her outfits play-by-play, and turning her content into the latest social media talking point.
“Holy s***,” Sims recalled thinking. “That’s never happened to me before.”
Despite the attention, Sims wanted to make sure she wasn’t creating an unwanted distraction for Koepka during golf’s biggest week. So she sent her husband a quick text to get his take on the criticism.
Koepka’s response? No panic, no concern—just a veteran quarterback brushing off outside noise.
“What the heck? I think that’s totally fine,” he replied.
For Sims, that was all the reassurance she needed.
“I’m not trying to mess up his game in any way,” she said, adding that the couple has long operated with a simple rule during Masters week: unless someone is literally losing a limb, golf comes first.
The strategy seemed to work. Koepka finished tied for 12th at Augusta, while Sims walked away with something of her own—a surge in visibility, engagement, and new opportunities. Sometimes the loudest critics end up being the MVPs of your algorithm.
