Jena Sims has opened up about the criticism she received for her outfits during the 2026 Masters, admitting that the backlash ultimately benefited her more than it hurt her.
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model and wife of five-time major champion Brooks Koepka became a major talking point during Masters week after several of her fashion choices generated strong reactions on social media. While some golf fans questioned whether her outfits fit the traditional atmosphere of Augusta National, Sims said the attention created new opportunities for her.
Her comments come as Koepka competes at the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, where the former champion is once again in the spotlight. While Koepka’s performance remains under scrutiny following a recent hand injury, Sims has reflected on a very different type of attention that followed her appearance at golf’s first major of the season.
Jena Sims Says Masters Outfit Criticism Created New Opportunities
Speaking on “The Viall Files” podcast, Sims revealed she had a surprisingly positive reaction to the online criticism.
“I loved it because it did wonders for my engagement,” Sims said.
The controversy centered on several outfits she wore during Masters week, including terry-towel Masters-themed pants paired with a cropped green long-sleeve shirt and a sparkly Masters-themed bag.
After posting a TikTok video featuring the outfit, Sims received a wave of criticism from fans.
Despite the criticism, Sims said the response dramatically increased attention across her social media platforms.
“It led to so many opportunities,” Sims said. “There might as well have been smoke blowing out of the bottom of my phone.”
She also noted that the reaction differed from previous viral moments in her career because of the volume of content being created around her outfits.
“It was the first time people were doing the green screen videos where they would cycle through my outfits and they were the talking head against my content,” Sims said. “Holy s–t! That’s never happened to me before!”
The former Miss Georgia Teen USA said the attention generated significant engagement and introduced her to a broader audience beyond golf fans.
Brooks Koepka Supported Jena Sims During Masters Controversy
Sims also revealed that she sought Koepka’s opinion after reading many of the online comments.
According to Sims, she sent him a photo of the outfit to get his reaction.
“What the heck? I think that’s totally fine,” Koepka replied, according to Sims.
She admitted his response gave her reassurance because she did not want to become a distraction during one of the most important weeks of the golf season.
“It was a little bit of a relief just because I’m not trying to f–k his game up in any way,” Sims said.
The couple has been together since 2015, after first meeting around the Masters. They became engaged in 2021 and married in Turks and Caicos in 2022. They also share a son, Crew Sims Koepka, who attended the Masters Par 3 Contest this year.
Sims later joked that Koepka’s reaction earned him a special label.
She called the golfer “one of the girls” because of how supportive he was during the situation.
The discussion surrounding Sims’ Masters outfits resurfaced while Koepka continues his 2026 U.S. Open campaign at Shinnecock Hills. The five-time major champion won the U.S. Open at the venue in 2018 and entered this week’s tournament after recovering from a hand issue that forced him to withdraw from the RBC Canadian Open.
While Koepka focuses on competing at one of golf’s toughest major championships, Sims appears to have embraced the unexpected attention that came from one of the biggest off-course stories of Masters week.
Brooks Koepka, Wife Jena Sims Makes Personal Admission About Outfit Backlash