Tag: Brooks Koepka

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Highlights Tours

Brooks Koepka: “I don’t care whether I like the place or not”

Brooks Koepka during his practice round ahead of the British Open 2021. (Photo: Getty Images)

STUART MOFFATT: Good afternoon, everyone. I’m delighted to say that we’re joined by the four-time major champion Brooks Koepka. Welcome to Royal St. George’s. You’ve performed really well this season, two strong finishes in the last two majors. How confident are you of contending this week for The Open title?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I feel good. Coming off a couple good finishes. Felt like I was playing well. I’m pretty excited for this week. It’s a major, so I’ll be up for it, and excited to play this week.

Q. You said on several occasions that you find it so much easier to get up for the majors. I just wonder when that starts to kick in. Is it when you set foot on property a few days before or when you start making plans?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I mean, I don’t make plans, but it’s kind of more when I show up. I don’t know, it’s a different feeling. It’s just more focused, more locked in on what I need to do, no distractions. I don’t know, I just simplify everything, and it becomes a lot easier.

Q. How much do you enjoy coming to the UK? I appreciate it’s a very different year with COVID, but tell me about that and about the challenges of coming and playing links golf and taking part in an Open.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I mean, I’ve always enjoyed coming over here. I came over here when I was a little kid. Actually here, watched Ben win. Me and my brother and my mom came. I must have been like 10 years old or something.

Yeah, I’ve always enjoyed playing links golf. I think it takes a lot of creativity and imagination. In the States a lot of times you just throw it up high in the air and the ball is going to stop, where you’ve really got to pay attention where the ball is going to bounce into the green. You might have 50 yards but you’ve got about six clubs you could play.

I think that’s fun. It brings out the creative side. It’s fun. I love it. I love it over here.

Q. I can’t use in the circumstances the word Pete Cowan used to describe what you said about not getting the job done at the U.S. PGA; you were rather annoyed shall we say. How would you sum up your feelings about not getting over the line in the last two majors?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, disappointing. PGA I started off with a double. Made a mental mistake there, so that drives me nuts. I don’t mind making mistakes, making a bad swing, but when you make a mental mistake — I kind of pride myself on not making a mental mistake during a major, and that was unfortunate.

At the end of the day, I just didn’t play good enough. I didn’t putt anywhere remotely good enough to win.

I didn’t deserve it, but still lost, so doesn’t matter.

Q. What do you think of the golf course? How does it compare to some of the other Open venues? And what do you think is its biggest challenge?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I only played the front nine. I don’t know, it’s not my favourite venue that we’ve played. I think Portrush and St. Andrews are definitely the favourites.

I haven’t seen all 18. I’ll see the back nine today. But a couple — quite a few blind tee shots, kind of hitting to nothing. Fairways are quite undulating. I don’t know, it’s not my favourite of the rotation, put it that way.

Q. How would you describe your performances so far in the Open, and do you feel the best is still to come for you in this event?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I think I probably haven’t played my best over here. I don’t know, I think over the last couple years — I don’t want to say it’s been a distraction, but I’ve won the PGA or the U.S. Open before, and I’ve enjoyed those weeks after a little too much.

I came over — Sunday was the first time I touched a club since Travelers. Maybe I always don’t have the best of prep coming into this. But I feel good. I feel my game feels solid. I like the way I’m hitting it right now, and definitely more comfortable than I’ve been in years past coming over.

Q. In this country we’ve been quite royally entertained recently by the back-and-forth between you and Bryson. Is there any kind of pantomime element to that, or is it the fact you just genuinely don’t care for each other?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I mean, there’s a story behind it, but I’ve already said the story. Like I said, we had a conversation at Liberty, and he didn’t hold up his end of the bargain and I didn’t like that, so I’ll take my shots.

Q. When you say it’s not your favourite venue and you explained why, how does that affect your confidence or your attitude towards going out there and trying to win the Claret Jug?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, it doesn’t matter. I’ve won on golf courses that I’m not a big fan of before. It has nothing to do with it. Still got to get up and go hit the shot and do what I’m supposed to do, so that doesn’t bug me.

I don’t care whether I like the place, don’t like it. You’ve still got to play good and go hit the shots.

Like I said, playing St. Andrews is probably my favourite place in the entire world to play. Portrush two years ago was — I don’t know, I love that place. I thought that was just such a good Open. A fun golf course to play. Really enjoyed that.

This one, it’s just not as exciting. I don’t know why. Whether it be a couple shots to nothing, a couple blind — I don’t want to say — a couple blind tee shots or shots in where you can’t really see much. I’m not too big of a fan of that.

Q. Is there a point considering that the Ryder Cup is coming up later this year that you have to start getting along with Bryson somehow if you’re going to be in the same team in September?

BROOKS KOEPKA: You realize it’s only a week, right?

Q. But you are on the same team.

BROOKS KOEPKA: It’s only a week. I mean, look, I can put it aside for business. If we’re going to be on the same team, I can deal with anybody in the world for a week.

I’m not playing with him. I’m pretty sure we’re not going to be paired together; put it that way. I think it’s kind of obvious.

It doesn’t matter. I don’t think they’re — we’re not going to be high fiving and having late-night conversations. I do my thing, he does his thing. Yeah, we’re on the same team, but it’s not an issue at all. I don’t view it as an issue. I don’t think he does.

Like I said, I can put anything aside for a team, business, whatever, just to get the job done. No problem with that.

Q. Last month I think you quite rightly said that your rivalry with Bryson is good for the game. Do you think it would be good for the game if you two were playing in the final group on Sunday, and is that something you relish?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I would enjoy it. I would enjoy it. I’ll be close to the final group come Sunday. I always feel like I play well in the big events, the majors. I think it would be a lot more people tuning in, with everything that’s gone on over the last two years, something like that, three years.

So yeah, I think there would be a lot of people tuning in.

Q. Your experience as a four-time major winner, I think you’re the only one who’s won multiple majors in the last five years, will that be crucial going into that final day do you feel?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Maybe a little bit, not much. At the end of the day it just comes down to how well you’re playing. Are you going to make the putts, are you going to hit the right shots at the right time, avoid bunkers out here, keep it out of the rough? The rough is pretty thick out here, probably the thickest I’ve seen of the venues over the last five years maybe, six years.

So you’ve got to be able to drive the ball straight. That’s the big key out here.

Q. In addition to your wins, you’ve obviously contended in the Open and the Masters. Is the career grand slam something you’ve given a thought to going ahead?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, that’s a goal of mine. We were actually just laughing about it. It would be pretty cool to go back-to-back in all of them. I think that would be pretty cool, so that’s the goal.

Like I said, I just need to get the job done here. I love St. Andrews, so hopefully it’ll happen.

Q. Did I hear you say you came over here in ’03 when Ben won?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I did.

Q. That seems like an odd vacation for a Florida kid. What brought you here? What were the circumstances, and what are your strongest memories?

BROOKS KOEPKA: We got the opportunity — I must have been — I don’t know what I was in, fifth, sixth grade, something like that — just to come over here and play St. Andrews, Carnoustie, come watch I think the final round of The Open.

Me, my mom and my little brother, we came over I think a couple days early from when the whole thing was going to start, and just got to play links golf. I thought it was so much fun. That’s kind of when I fell in love with it.

It was cool getting to — I remember my brother at the time, he thought it was so cool. Tiger was playing on 13 and my brother had said something and Tiger said something back to him, and we thought it was the coolest thing at the time.

It’s kind of funny, I think with about three holes left, I remember Thomas took a few out of the bunker, and I think Ben was maybe a group or two behind him, but I ended up falling asleep right in the little pavilion to the right of 18 and didn’t even see the finish.

I remember getting yelled at by my mom, I didn’t bring you over here to fall asleep kind of deal.

But it was fun. We enjoyed the whole trip, and it was a cool family trip.

Q. How big a help has Ricky been to you in relation to plotting your way around links courses?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I mean, Rick is a help anywhere I go. I love that guy to death. I don’t think I would have the success I’ve had without him. He’s a crucial part of the way I game plan. He really understands how I play golf, how I go about things, and he keeps it light out there.

We have a good relationship off the course, good relationship on it. Keep things light. He knows I’m not going to take it too seriously. We’ve been together for eight years now almost, I think. He can pretty much tell exactly what I’m thinking, what I’m doing, and I think when you build that relationship so well on the course, off the course, good things are going to happen.

He’s been a big part of those major wins every win I’ve had, and even coming over to links, just — I mean, he’s grown up on it, so I don’t want to say I lean on him all the time, but he’s definitely got a better understanding of how to play links golf than I do, so it’s definitely been helpful to have him on the bag, and that relationship I’m super grateful for.

Q. Obviously the protocols here are a lot different than what we’re seeing at home, especially in the last couple months. What kind of adjustments did you have to make? Have you found it to be difficult at all to kind of go back to what we were doing maybe a year ago? How are you sort of getting along with the whole thing?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I mean, it’s different. I don’t have my full team here this week. I don’t have my trainer, don’t have my chef. The cooking definitely is not as good with me, Rick, my physio, and my manager, Blake. We’re trying our best, but it’s not as good as she would make it.

It’s not too big of a deal. Most of the times I don’t do anything anyway. I come to the course, I go to the gym, and I don’t leave the house.

It’s not too big of an adjustment for me. Obviously just missing those two would be the big thing.

I’ve just got me, my physio, my caddie, and my agent, that’s it, just the four of us. It’s quite fun. We’re all so close, and we enjoy — we’ve always enjoyed this week. It’s fun, the four of us getting to stay together because usually it doesn’t happen.

Q. When you explained recently the start of this thing with Bryson, you said that he went back on his word, which is why you sort of — did you explain what he did? How did he go back on his word? Apologies if you have said that and I missed it. What made you think he had gone back on his word?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, it was at — I said it a couple weeks ago. It was at Liberty. He didn’t like that I had mentioned his name in slow play, so we had a conversation in the locker room, and then I guess we said something else in the press conference but didn’t mention his name in it, and he walked up to Ricky, said something. It was, You tell your man if he’s got something to say, say it to myself. I thought that was ironic because he went straight to Ricky. Ricky told me when I came out, hit a few putts, and then just walked right over to him, we had a conversation. We both agreed we’d leave each other out of it and wouldn’t mention each other, just kind of let it die off, wouldn’t mention each other’s names, just go about it.

So then he decided I guess he was going on that little, whatever, playing video games online or whatever and brought my name up and said a few things, so now it’s fair game.

STUART MOFFATT: Brooks, very best of luck this week.

Interview transcript by asapsports.com

Categories
Team USA

PGA Championship: Brooks Koepka is looking for the Three-peat: “I feel very comfortable around the lead in the big events.”

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 08: Brooks Koepka of the United States plays a shot from the third tee as Justin Rose of England looks on during the third round of the 2020 PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park on August 08, 2020 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

JOHN DEVER: Good evening, welcome back to the 2020 PGA Championship here at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. We are pleased to be joined by two-time defending champion Brooks Koepka. Brooks posted a third-round 69. He is 7-under for the championship, two shots off the lead.

Brooks, kind of held serve today more than anything, but you’re still in a really good position going into the last day. Maybe talk about your play and your outlook.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I thought I played a lot better than my score reflected. Really made one bad swing. But I left it in a good spot and just hit a poor chip. The other ones I was in the semi a lot, and I think sometimes in the semi, it can come out without spin or it can come with spin, and if you’re going to do that in the wind, it’s kind of tough to judge.

Maybe took a little bit too aggressive of lines on those out of the semi, but I just missed them in the worst spot possible, but they were good shots, so I felt like I played really well, putted really well, and the driver I hit great. It’s just sometimes they didn’t move with the wind, hit them too good.

Q. How big were those last couple birdies and can you carry some momentum from late today into tomorrow?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I think so. 16 was nice. I thought that was probably the toughest putt I had all day just because that wind, you’re kind of right there in that open area and the wind is pumping off the right. It was kind of a weird read where I felt like if you started it on the right edge, it would stay, but if you didn’t, it could snap. So to make that I thought was big and maybe just a little bit of a confidence boost in the putting for the last two holes. 17 I thought I made, and 18 just hit a good shot.

Nice to walk away with a birdie there and carry it over to tomorrow.

Q. There’s a few guys around you with one major, you’ve obviously got more. Was the second one harder to win?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Well, if you look at the top of the leaderboard, I’d say yes.

Q. What makes that difficult to make the second one?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I think expectations. I think — I guess it does become difficult if you think you’ve played good enough to win multiple ones. But you’ve just got to keep putting yourself there. I’m doing a good job of that. But the second one definitely is a little bit tougher, I think, as you can see from the top of the leaderboard.

Q. You’ve won majors from out front and from having to come back in the final round. How confident are you in your ability to get this done tomorrow?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I’m playing good so I like my chances. Just put the ball in the fairway a few more times and not in the semi. That would be all right, just not short-side myself. If I can do that tomorrow and not short-side myself, I’ll have a good chance.

Q. Given that you’ve won a few of these now, four of them, how different is your confidence now being in this position versus a few years ago, I guess the difference between those two?

BROOKS KOEPKA: It’s just a comfort level. I feel very comfortable around the lead in the big events.

Obviously we don’t have fans here, which I think plays a little bit — makes it a little different when they’re hooting and hollering, which it can be fun if they’re cheering for you, but if they’re against you it’s not so much fun. It’s going to feel completely different than any one we’ve ever played. I’m looking forward to it tomorrow. It should be a fun shootout.

Q. Just a quick update on how was the hip today?

BROOKS KOEPKA: It’s good. It’s fine. I told you it released the knot.

Q. It’s a bit of a reversal, last year you had the lead, DJ was the one coming for you. How do you feel about the reverse situation there?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I mean, I like my chances. When I’ve been in this position before, I’ve capitalized. I don’t know, he’s only won one. I’m playing good. I don’t know, we’ll see.

Q. You mentioned how it was different without fans at the majors. I’m curious playing ahead of the final group tomorrow how that will be different for you knowing that you won’t hear roars around the course?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Well, there’s probably about, I don’t know, 10 or 12 leaderboards around, so I’ll be able to see. All you’ve got to do is look up or look to your left or right and you’ll see something and figure it out.

Q. You talked about the birdies late; how much of a difference on this course and these conditions in a major is it being two back versus say four back?

BROOKS KOEPKA: To be honest with you, on this golf course I feel like anywhere from 4-under has a chance. I think that’s realistic. You can get off to 3-, 4-under very quickly through seven, depending on what they do if they move the tee up, it could be four or five, and then if you play 8 and 9 well and birdie 10, I mean, you’ve got a realistic chance right there.

It all depends what the weather does tomorrow, but any of those guys at 4-under I think reasonably have a good chance.

JOHN DEVER: Brooks, thanks so much. Have a good evening.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Live

Defending champion Brooks Koepka goes for the three-peat

Brooks Koepka is going for the three-peat at the PGA Championship. (Photo: Getty)

Good afternoon, everybody. Welcome back to the 2020 PGA Championship here at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. We are pleased to be joined by two-time defending champion, Brooks Koepka.

Brooks, you’re back with us in good form with some history on the line. Does all this talk of a three-peat, Peter Thomson, etc., do you look at it as a hindrance or helper for you as you go into the championship?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I don’t view it as either one. I’ve already dealt with it at the U.S. Open going into Pebble. I feel like I know how to handle it and I played pretty well there. I just got beat. My game feels like it’s in really, really good shape right now. I like the way I’m hitting it, and feels — putting it really, really well. Every day is a lot more comfortable.

I’m excited. This is a big-boy golf course. Got to hit it straight and put it in the fairway. It’s going to be quite long. I think it kind of plays into my hands.

Q.  What was the best thing you saw in Memphis that you were waiting to see, and what’s the importance of bringing momentum into a big event like this?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Just to be in contention I thought was nice. I hit it well, or a little bit better at 3M, and you know, we went back, we worked on some things over the weekend and it started to click and you could clearly see what was going on. I wasn’t getting on my left side. Now that I’ve got — it was nice to see Pete again, get more work with Claude on what’s going on and then Phil now. I feel great, but I think it was more about getting in contention again and just having those feelings back, which felt good.

Q.  I see you’re playing with Shane Lowry in the first two rounds of the tournament. Just wondering what kind of relationship you have with him; you played with him a little bit, I think, during the lockdown, and what do you make of his game generally?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I like Shane. He’s a funny guy. He’s a character. I enjoy playing with him. I played a lot with him at the Floridian during lockdown. Got to play with him and another buddy, Stephen Grant, maybe six, seven times. It was fun. I enjoyed the competition, trying to battle into something for being off for three months.

Shane is a good player. Drives it really well. He hits a tight little draw. Great short game, and he’s going to be right there come Sunday.

Q.  Given the kind of year you’ve had with three months of knee injury, three months of pandemic, PGA approaching, I don’t want to use the word panic, but was there any kind of impatience in wanting to turn things around, and did your confidence start to take a little bit of a beating?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I mean, you always want to turn it around. Even if it’s a couple holes, you’re trying to look to turn it around.

It gets frustrating. I felt like I was playing a little better. Wasn’t seeing the results, but piece by piece, it was coming. So I knew it was eventually going to be there. But as far as confidence, I got frustrated. I think anybody would. Nobody likes playing bad.

But at the same time, I knew it was only a couple swings away. Once I got the feeling, I’d be off and running, and here we are.

Q.  What’s the one thing Pete brought to you?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Pete? Just stay in the ground. I’ve done the same four things with Claude for, I don’t know how long we’ve been together, seven years, and Pete’s the same thing. Pete tells me two things. You know, sometimes it’s just a different delivery between Claude and Pete, and all it takes it a little bit of — we saw some information on one of the body tracks or whatever where it shows your weight, I forget what it was. It was pretty obvious.

So once I saw that, you know, everything made sense with what Claude was saying and Pete, and it just clicked.

Q.  Can you give us your impressions of the rough, and I guess how deep rough needs to be to be significant if you have a short iron or a wedge for an approach?

BROOKS KOEPKA: It all kind of depends. The rough out here is pretty thick. You can get some pretty juicy lies and not advance it very far. But it all depends. Is it going to be wet? I think it will be, especially in the mornings, so it could be quite tough to control your distance, spin, things like that.

But I don’t think it’s overly bad right now. Come Sunday, might be different. Might grow two inches, who knows, an inch. Anything could make a big difference. I don’t think it’s bad, but it’s not the worst I’ve ever seen.

Q.  Given the fact that there aren’t any galleries these days, there’s not going to be any galleries this week, are you going to have to kind of maybe convince yourself that this is a major and a major atmosphere, or does that sort of thing really matter?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I mean, it’s pretty obvious it’s a major when you pull in. Yeah, I don’t know how else to answer that. It’s pretty obvious it’s a major. It’s a big boy golf course. Tough place. Tough setup. I mean, I know it, so that’s all that matters.

Q.  When you want to hit driver especially hard, do you have to think of an aggressive thought?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, just hit it hard. That’s the only thought. I don’t think — my mind goes blank. I kind of, I guess, blackout a little bit sometimes while we’re out there. I don’t think of any swing thoughts. Don’t think of anything.

I don’t do that in practice while we’re at home but out here, just go out and hit the ball. Try to — whatever shape you’re trying to hit, just see it and go with it and swing it.

Q.  You always said in majors past that you mark these four tournaments on the calendar in terms of peaking for these events. What’s the challenge been like for this year peaking for these events, given the pandemic as well as your knee?

BROOKS KOEPKA: It’s just been a lot of patience. I had to — a lot of sitting around and waiting and doing rehab, and just trying to make sure we’re ready for this week. Yeah, I mean obviously things didn’t get off to a good start this whole year; basically from Korea till 3M wasn’t the start or play I was looking for.

But at the same time, I felt like I was progressing. So sometimes the results are a little bit slower than what I would like. I expect so much of myself, almost too much sometimes, and that can be annoying.

But at the same time, you’ve just got to — I knew this week was a couple weeks away, so I had no other option other than to find it.

Q.  I have two questions. One is as much of a sports fan as I know you are, do you enjoy — with regard to the No. 1 ranking, it kind of bouncing around a little bit? You had it for a stretch; Rory; Jon had it for a few minutes and now J.T. has it. How much do you enjoy having that in the balance, and do you burn to have it back?

BROOKS KOEPKA: That’s the whole goal. The goal is to be the best player. If you’re not trying to do that, then I don’t know what you’re doing. I’m not out here to just try to compete and have a good time. I’m out here to win.

You know, winning means being the best and being No. 1, so that’s the goal. And I enjoy it. I enjoy — right now, you’ve got J.T., Jon, Justin, myself, DJ all right there. So it makes it fun. It’s exciting. As a fan, I’m sure it’s exciting.

Q.  As a follow-up, when you come here or any tournament, do you walk into this place feeling like you’re the best player on the planet and that you’re the guy to beat?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I mean, I feel very confident in myself. I don’t know — I think when you start saying it like that, I think you’re putting expectations. I don’t put any expectations on myself. Just go out and go play golf exactly like I know how, and if I do that, then yeah, I probably should win.

Q.  You talk about the whole goal of being No. 1; that’s the whole idea of being out here. You held that post longer than anyone last year. What’s the sense of accomplishment in that?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, that’s a big accomplishment. That’s the goal every time you set the goals for the year, to be the best player in the world. I felt like I got unlucky with the knee and then wasn’t swinging it right because of my knee. It happens.

But also at the same time, it can make you a little hungry to go out and prove yourself, and that’s where I’m at right now.

Q.  You obviously seemed to enjoy majors. It’s been over a year since we’ve competed in a major. That’s the longest stretch since the 1940s. What does it mean to be able to compete in a major again?

BROOKS KOEPKA: It’s fun. I love it. I love the fact that it’s probably the toughest test of golf you’re going to play all year with — setup-wise and then mentally it’s exhausting.

I enjoy when it gets tough. I enjoy when things get complicated. You can really — there’s always disaster lurking, I think it something I enjoy, where every shot really means something. Every shot is so important and you can’t — you can’t lose focus on one and I think that’s something I’m really proud of myself that I can always just hang in there mentally and hit the shot that I need to hit at the right time, and don’t let off the gas pedal.

Q.  Last year at Bethpage, you said that these were the easiest tournaments to win. I don’t know that you put a number on how many guys you had to beat; if you still feel that way; and how many guys do you have to beat this week?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I still feel that way. I think I said it last year. The way the golf course sets up eliminates pretty much half the guys, and then from there, you know, half of those guys probably won’t play well, I think is what I said. Then from there, I feel like mentally I can beat them, the other half, so you’ve probably got ten guys. That’s the way I see it. If I can do what I’m supposed to, then yeah, I should.

I think that’s why I’ve played so well is I break things down very easily. I think for some reason, people make golf a lot more complicated than it should be. Worried about where shots go, results, you know, putting more emphasis on this week or the major weeks, when to me, it almost seems the most relaxing week of the year. I feel like Monday to Wednesday, conserving energy mentally, I’ve got a good routine, nine holes pretty much every day or less, and I leave the golf course feeling pretty refreshed, and then by Sunday, I’m mentally drained.

I think it’s more mentally exhausting where things — where things will take it out of you mentally before physically with a major. I think that’s one of the strengths of my game.

Q.  What’s the one thing that you have to do well this week?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Drive the ball well. If you put the ball in the fairway out here, you’re going to do — there’s a lot of long irons into these par 4s, and like today, I think I hit — played nine holes and hit three long irons in the back nine in the flags and obviously it’s a little cooler, a little windy. But still at the same time in you’re in that rough, there’s no chance you’re hitting 4- or 5-iron into these greens. You have to drive it well and put it into the fairway. A lot of right-to-left holes, too, especially on the back.

Q.  Just talking about the length and adjusting to the weather, is that something you’ll do going on the launch monitor, or is that a feel thing with you and Ricky, getting a sense of the difference in how far the ball is going here?

BROOKS KOEPKA: No. I’m not going to be a scientist and go figure it out on TrackMan. I’ll do it out myself. Me and Ricky have a pretty good idea how far the ball flies in this weather. Played golf for probably 25 years now, so I know how far it goes when it’s a little cold. From there, it’s just slight adjustments. I feel like we’ve got it dialed in.

That’s kind of why I wanted to play in the morning. Usually you do the same routine as tomorrow, tee off the same time I tee off on Thursday, and play one late, one early, just to get a feel for how different the course can play, how the ball is flying and things like that.

(FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports)

Categories
PGA Tour

Brooks Koepas thoughts about the PGA Tour Restart

Brooks Koepka in press conference. (Photo: Getty)

THE MODERATOR: Welcome, Brooks. Thanks for being back here at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Just some thoughts on being back for the return to golf. You’ve played here since, finished runner up in 2018 to Justin Rose, obviously have an affinity for the golf course, shooting a pair of 63s during that period. Just some thoughts on returning.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, it’s nice to be back. I think everybody is excited to be back, have some competition, some sports, and I think everybody is looking forward to it. I know I am. I’m excited. It feels like forever. It feels like I’ve done this too many times over the last two years with injuries and stuff like that, having a couple months off, but to finally be back playing, it’s exciting, and I can’t wait to tee it up tomorrow.

THE MODERATOR: Just some thoughts on the featured pairing that you’re in with Rory and Jon; how will that make you feel playing with those two guys, having been a former No. 1 in the world?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I mean, yeah, it’s nice. You always want to play with the best players in the world. So yeah, it’ll be an exciting group to watch. But at the same time, it doesn’t matter who I play with. I’m focused on myself and what I need to do. But you know those guys are going to play good, simple as. So it’ll kind of elevate the competition, as you do. You get into a Saturday-Sunday late pairing you know the guys are going to play well, so it always gives you a little added push.

THE MODERATOR: Just finally during the break, the forced break, do you feel that that’s maybe been a benefit or a bonus for you, having a break, given you only played five events early in the season, had some issues with injury? Do you think this is going to be beneficial for you?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I got lucky. It was definitely beneficial for me. It’s something — I was able to kind of reassess where I was at, get the knee stronger. The knee is back. It’s a lot better. And then finally be able just to swing the club the right way and kind of get back to the process or the way of thinking that I had before. It’s been a blessing in disguise for me without a doubt, and I’m excited to see what happens here.

Q.: You mentioned that you kind of got a break with having the hiatus come when it did with the state of your health and the game. How does the game feel now compared to the stoppage? I know it’s hard just judging by practice, but how does it feel compared to before?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I mean, I felt at THE PLAYERS, it was starting to come around. I felt something positive. But right now it’s a million times better. The swing feels like it’s in a great spot. I’m controlling ball flights, controlling spin, yardages, putting it good, chipping it good. I feel like a new person, honestly. The way I’m able to move right now is a lot better than I was three months ago, four months ago, and I’m excited. It really is going to be fun to tee it up again.

Q.: What did you miss most about competing and playing tournaments during the three months?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Just the competition. That was the thing I missed the most, competing. It’s hard when you’re sitting at home. There’s no competition. Yeah, you can go play some games at home, but it’s not the real thing. It doesn’t — when you’ve got 144 of the best players in the world, it’s a lot different than playing at home.

I really just missed just coming out here, competing for four days, having to string together 72 holes. I think that’s what I miss the most, just the competition.

Q.: It was mentioned that you’ve only had five starts this year. Is it a sense from your perspective that you’ve got to make up a lot of ground in these last 10 weeks, especially in regards to like Player of the Year competition, FedExCup points, those type of things?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Not really, no. If I do what I’m supposed to do, I’ll be just fine. I didn’t do what I was supposed to dot first five events. It is what it is; I can’t change it. It’s in the past. But you never know. I mean, you can rattle off 10 wins, and I think that’s kind of irrelevant.

Q.: Brooks, after such a long layoff here for everybody and getting back to it, what will be the feelings that you’ll have on the first tee tomorrow? Will it be back-to-normal life is good again, or will there be some added nerves or whatever you want to call it as you kind of get back into this rhythm of tournament golf?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Did you get nervous when you arrived today or the other day to go write something?

Q.: Yeah, I wasn’t any good, so it took me a while to get back into it.

BROOKS KOEPKA: There’s no nerves. It’s just — that’s my job. I’m supposed to go out there and go play, so just get back to it and proceed as usual.

Q.: I don’t know if you’ve been asked about what you think about the Ryder Cup, no fans, fans, play, not play; has anyone from the PGA of America asked your opinion, and if not, why not?

BROOKS KOEPKA: No, I haven’t talked to anybody. I didn’t talk to anybody when I was quarantined or over the coronavirus when we were back at the house. I didn’t talk to anybody.

I don’t want to play if there’s no fans. I’ve said that. I said that in some interview, I don’t know where. But I just don’t think it’s — the fans make that event. The fans make that special. If we’re not playing in front of fans, it’s just like us playing a game in Florida. You’ve got myself, Rory, DJ, you’ve got all these guys that are living in Jupiter. It would be just like a normal game that goes on in Jupiter. And there’s no fist pumping there, there’s no excitement. The fans create the excitement for the Ryder Cup.

Yeah, we’re excited to play, but you see the emotion. If there’s no fans out there you’re not going to see guys fist pumping and that passion behind it. Yes, I love to play for my country, I love to do all these things, but it’s important to have the fans there. We feed off it. The fans get louder or they’ll boo you depending on what you’re doing, but that’s the beauty of it. It makes it — the Ryder Cup is a true sporting event. It’s different than any other golf tournament we play. It’s a true sporting event, and I think if we can have fans, that’s perfect, and if we can’t, it just seems kind of like an exhibition, which it kind of already is. I just don’t want to play it without fans.

Q.: Can you see any scenario where if they decided to proceed with no fans that a player would protest by not playing?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah.

Q.: Would you?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Possibly. I think there’s a lot more that goes into that, why they would be playing, personally. As players I think we all know why they’re playing or why we would play.

Q. Do you think it’s money?

BROOKS KOEPKA: (Rubbing index fingers and thumbs together.) That’s the only reason. Give it to Johnny Football.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team USA

PGA Tour: Brooks Koepka Revisits Disappointing T47 Finish at The Arnold Palmer Invitational

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MARCH 05: Brooks Koepka of the United States reacts on the 11th green during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 05, 2020 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

PGA Tour professional Brooks Koepka speaks with the media following a disappointing performance at the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational in which he managed to shoot under par in only one round, leading to a T47 finish

PGA Tour: Brooks Koepka talks to the media following conclusion of The Arnold Palmer Invitational

Q. How would you quantify the difference between today and yesterday just condition-wise?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Condition-wise it’s a lot easier today. Today’s definitely way more gettable. It was starting to pick up there on 16, 17, 18, but it wasn’t, I mean, it’s not nearly as bad as it was yesterday. Yesterday was probably one of the harder rounds I think, definitely in the top 10 you played, I played out here.

Q. How did you play today compared to yesterday?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Still shi*t. Still sh*t. Putting better.

Q. You probably can’t say that on the podium.
BROOKS KOEPKA: Well, fine me.

I found something with my putting, so my putting, the touch is back. I feel very confident with that. But still close on the swing, sometimes it’s there and then sometimes it’s not.

Q. What did you find?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Just putting? Just a little bit maybe rhythm, I think. My speed’s been terrible, that’s why, I don’t know, I’ve 3-putted every — you saw it on 1, it just wasn’t — I felt good yesterday. I felt good leaving the golf course putting and then 1 just a little hiccup there. But I mean, other than that I felt my pace and line were pretty good, which I haven’t seen some putts go in, like 16 like that putt hasn’t been going in so it’s nice to see a few of them drop. And I’m pleased the way I’m putting it, short game’s good. I just need to figure out the long game.

Q. Do you like this idea of what you’ve got going schedule-wise, playing week after week?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Not really. No, to tell you the truth. I mean, I would never play more than three weeks in a row. But obviously sometimes things happen and the only way I see getting through this is playing. That’s my way of trying to grind and work it out and figure it out. I mean, every year we have come — I don’t know how far back, to 2016 all the way through the Match Play has been terrible. So I don’t know what it is about these first three months of the year but I struggle quite a bit.

Q. Is there any concern of playing golf out there when you don’t want to be out there? Is your head not there?
BROOKS KOEPKA: No, I want to be out there. I definitely want to be out there. I mean, listen, after I’ve played here I’ve gone to Nona and gone and beat balls until it was dark. We were hitting, Rickie had the camera phone out and was shining it about 2 feet above the ground just to, the depth perception gets off when it’s so dark. And every day we’re grinding, practicing, trying to figure it out and eventually all the hard work’s going to pay off, it’s just a matter of how quick it’s going to turn.

Q. Do you remember much about Innisbrook, Valspar?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I played it, I think once out here on TOUR but I played it, I mean, growing up in Florida we played a bunch of tournaments on it. Junior amateur stuff. So I’ve played it quite a bit. I know it. It’s a tough golf course. That’s also why I wanted to play this week. I thought it was going to be tougher. Scoring is not going to be very high or very low, I guess, and that’s kind of one of the reasons why I wanted to play. I felt like — I play my best golf on tough courses, so I thought maybe I would find it there.

2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational Leaderboard

Q. Do you take something away from the week that you build on? Other than the putting part, are there things you can just see?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Listen, it’s coming together piece by piece. So the way I see it, the putting hasn’t quite been there, the touch hasn’t been there, but now that I found that, I found a little bit of rhythm there, just build on that. I think I’m very pleased with short game, very pleased. And that was kind of the part that’s been, that felt really far away, where this week it was kind of a flip-flop. Long game, I don’t know, it feels so unorthodox and, but it will come. It’s only a matter of time.

Q. Can you make a lot out of little sparks when have you a run of golf like this?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, it’s amazing. I’ve been through a spell like this and I remember, I can’t remember if it was 2017, I think it was, at Match Play, and I, one swing and it was like, boom, off and running. You find that one feeling and sometimes that’s why I think it’s important to play or to get out there. You can stand on the range all day and do it, but when you get out there and start playing is when — I don’t want to say it was messing around today, but it was more of just trying to feel shots and feel different things and, okay, is this working, is this not. Not so much an experiment but kind of, if that makes sense, just to see if different shot shapes, what, am I hitting a little controlled fade, my little fairway finder, it’s a lower fade. High draw. Trying to figure out what shot shape feels good and go with that.

Q. Can you remember what shot it was?
BROOKS KOEPKA: It was during a practice round. I think it was the year — I don’t know what year I made it, maybe ’15 during the quarters or something like that. I just remember in the practice round, was it 16, the par-5? I remember that on the tee, just it clicking, whatever it was, and just found it and built a pretty good year off it. I think it was ’17, I don’t know. But, yeah, it’s amazing. Just one swing sometimes.

Q. How important is it getting back to No. 1 in the world for you?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I mean, yeah, it’s important, you would like to, but if you play like this, you got a long way to go.

Q. All the talk about distance, roll backs, all that stuff. What do the last two weeks say, given the scores and the difficulty about that whole belief?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Listen, they can roll the ball back all they want the long hitters are still going to be the long hitters. The way I see it, I remember Nicklaus hit a, I don’t remember what year it was, but he drove the green at St. Andrews at 18. Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. So how much further has the ball gone?

Q. But the difficulty down here I mean was it —
BROOKS KOEPKA: What I’m saying is, if he was able to drive the green, yeah, he probably got a good bounce and it rolled on, but still at the end of the day, I mean, we’re on that back tee with no wind and pounding drivers and still come up a little short. So I don’t think the issue of rolling the ball back — I think long hitters are going to be still long and the short hitters, you know, no disrespect to guys like Fred Funk or stuff like that, but you don’t, guys don’t have a hundred mile an hour club speed anymore, everybody’s got a 120. So obviously it’s going to go further. They roll the ball back, I think if you want to grow the game you’re not going to be able to grow the game. I mean that’s, as a little kid, trying to be interested in the game, that’s all you want to do. The reason I started playing was because you see it go 60 yards, 70 yards and, wow, this is cool I’m actually hitting it far. Because you watch your parents or you watch your friends or whatever it might be, they’re bombing it out there and as a little kid you want to feel like you’re hitting it far. But if you’re only hitting it 30 yards it’s not very fun.

Orlando, Florida

March 8, 2020

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team USA

PGA Tour: Brooks Koepka Talks Disappointing Even Par Opening Round at The Arnold Palmer Invitational

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MARCH 05: Brooks Koepka of the United States plays his shot from the 12th tee during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 05, 2020 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

PGA Tour professional and four-time major champion Brooks Koepka Addresses the media following a somewhat disappointing opening round 72 at the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational

PGA Tour: Brooks Koepka recaps even par round 1 at The Arnold Palmer Invitational

Q. Your takeaway from today?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Even par. Nothing to get excited about. Nothing to rave about. It’s not far off, but it’s still, it’s annoying.

Q. Was it putting? Putts not going in?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Well, the par-3, 14, you got 25 feet for birdie, hit a good shot in there and then walk away with bogey, 3-putt. Just shots where I know if I’m in rhythm, it’s not, it’s going to be tight. Still not, just not capitalizing on anything. Turning what should be a routine 4 or par or whatever into a bogey and, well, it’s just not all there.

2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational Leaderboard

Q. Are you pressing at all or feeling like you’re pressing?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I just work through it. That’s why I’m playing this week. I wasn’t going to be here. I’m trying to figure it out. So it’s close, it’s not far away.

Q. What are you trying to figure out?
BROOKS KOEPKA: How to play golf.

Q. How long a session do you figure you’ll be out here working with your coach?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Not too long. It’s windy. I felt like I hit it all right. The last couple holes just kind of got away from me, but it shouldn’t be too long. Like I said, it’s close. It’s not far away. But it has nothing to do with out here. I can hit it great out here. It’s about when the gun goes off. I played great yesterday, hit it great on the range. It’s when the gun goes off.

Q. How is the course playing?
BROOKS KOEPKA: It’s playing all right. The rough’s obviously up from what it’s been in years past. Greens are a little bit, got a little bit of trampoline affect to them, you know, on your chips. Can’t really spin them. But the greens are rolling pretty good, so the course has held up pretty well.

Q. What do you think about Florida State’s new football coach?
BROOKS KOEPKA: They got a longer way to go than I do. They got a longer way. So they’re, they have got a few years. Hopefully mine doesn’t take that long.

Q. Have you been in this position before? And if so, did you learn anything working your way through it last time?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, you can look at my results for the past three years, all the way through until about Match Play is when I started playing. I just feel like I’m playing good. That’s why it’s so frustrating. Before I felt like I played terrible and the scores have been terrible. So it’s not — last year at Honda was kind of a shock. I thought I was playing bad and ended up finishing second. That was the only good one. Years before it hasn’t been very good this time of year and I feel like I’m playing way better than what I’m shooting.

Q. (No Microphone.)
BROOKS KOEPKA: It is what it is, man. I’m still trying my ass off. I can promise you that.

Q. What’s your opinion on the new proposed golf league, the Premier League?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I said it like 10 times, I said I’m going to play where the best players play, simple as.

Orlando, Florida

March 5, 2020

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team USA

PGA Tour: Brooks Koepka Talks Injury Recovery Prior to 2020 Honda Classic

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 26: Brooks Koepka smiles during the pro-am round for the Honda Classic at PGA National Resort and Spa Champion course on February 26, 2020 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Four-time major championship Brooks Koepka addresses the media prior to the 2020 Honda Classic about his knee injury recovery and looking forward to the 2020 Masters.

PGA Tour: Brooks Koepka speaks with the media prior to making sixth start at the Honda Classic

DOUG MILNE: We’d like to welcome world No. 3 Brooks Koepka. Brooks, thanks for joining us for a few minutes prior to the start of your sixth start at the Honda Classic this week, coming off a tie for second last year. With that said, just some thoughts on being back here and what’s kind of a local game for you.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, it’s nice to be back. Obviously any time you can play in front of my family and friends that don’t get to come out really any other week, it’s always nice for them to get to see me, and it’s obviously a little different sleeping in your own bed. It’s fun, though. I enjoy it. I like the golf course. The golf course has always been pretty good. It’s tough; I like that. It seems to be in good shape. Hopefully this rain doesn’t make it too soft, but we’ll see.

DOUG MILNE: I know one of the questions people want to know is how you’re feeling. You’re making just your second start in the calendar season. Just how the knee is doing and how you’re feeling.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Knee is great. I wouldn’t be playing if I couldn’t play or if there was pain or if I didn’t feel like I could come out here and compete at my best. I’ve just played bad, simple as.

2020 The Honda Classic Tee Times and Leaderboard

Obviously with a little bit of time off, I don’t want to say rust was the culprit of that. I felt like I was doing a lot of really good things. I was very close, striking it well, putting it well, and sometimes it’s just a matter of scoring. You can go through runs where you feel like you play great and you just don’t score very good, and that’s kind of where I feel like — out at LA I didn’t hit it very good. But everything — I mean, everything seems fine. It’s just a matter of going out there and actually making birdies. I just haven’t — it seems like I make a few birdies and then follow it up with a bogey, and it’s just kind of any momentum has been killed, which is not usually how I’m used to playing golf.

Hopefully it’ll start to turn around here. I feel good. I’m excited to play.

DOUG MILNE: Looking down the road, obviously a big stretch coming up. Just kind of what your schedule is looking like coming up.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, obviously I’m trying to play my way into it a little bit, a week off, week off, just to kind of test everything and see where it’s at. Obviously after here, next week will be off and then THE PLAYERS and then go to Tampa right after, and then after that I believe is Match Play. It’ll be three weeks in a row for me, which will be nice to kind of have something to build on, where it’s been one week on, one week off here, where it’s not tough to build a rhythm, but it’s just been — it’s just a lot easier when you’ve got three weeks in a row to really find your game and really build off the last week. I mean, I’ve done really well when I’ve played multiple weeks in a row. Every major I’ve won, I’ve played the week before. My second week out in a row is usually my best week, second and third week. It’ll be nice to get going in that little stretch.

Q. In terms of the knee, any lingering concerns? You mentioned the three weeks in a row. Is that sort of a test to see kind of how it would hold up, I guess?
BROOKS KOEPKA: No, no, I mean, everything is fine. Everything is just how — it’s better than we expected it to be at this point in time. Like I’ve said, it’s stable. It feels good. There’s no — I can actually do a one-legged squat now, where I couldn’t even do a quarter squat two and a half months ago. It’s progressed great. Derek Samuel in San Diego has done an unbelievable job working with me, and we’ve got it right where we want it, and it’s just now about building even more strength around it and really understanding a different approach on workouts.

Q. Talk about the downtime. I know you had that unfortunate experience of having downtime before with your other injury. What was that like for you going through that? Is it just the concentration is getting better so you’re not missing the golf as much?
BROOKS KOEPKA: My days were so filled that I didn’t really have time to miss it until I started to get a little antsy right around the beginning of December is when I was like, all right, I really just want to hit balls, and didn’t get cleared, I think, until December 20th was the first day I hit balls. It’s just one of those things where you just sit around on the couch. After rehab I’d be home at 11:00, 10:00 in the morning, did rehab at 7:00 a.m., and then out here, and then I went out to San Diego and basically spent all my time in San Diego. I was out in La Jolla with Derek, where my trainer is at, and we grinded every day on the thing. There wasn’t much — there’s nothing I can do. You try to stay busy, try to walk on it. Doing more activity was actually good for it because there’s other problems that kind of come in. My foot was bugging me a little bit, and you’ve got to get out and move it, and that’s sometimes the best rehab than sitting down and — like if I still sit down for a while, I can still feel it a little bit, if I sit down for like an hour or two, but you’ve just got to keep moving and everything is fine.

Q. When do you start going into Masters prep mode? And then also a follow-up, how did last year’s Masters experience kind of affect you going into your prep in this one?
BROOKS KOEPKA: My prep will start basically whenever I get up there. I’m just trying to play right now. I’m just trying to play good golf and find some rhythm, and I feel like if I find rhythm, I’ll be just fine. As far as last year, last year I’ve said it, I think the more I’ve played that golf course, the more I’ve realized that you don’t need to be as conservative as I think a lot of people will tell you, a lot of guys that have been around there for years and years. You look at it, there might be a slope that’s right to left on a green, and they’ll tell you to play off of it, and it’ll feed right down to the cup, but at the same time, if you just aim at the flag, it’s flat down there. You just hit it right there, and if you push it, it’ll actually hit that slope and come back instead of aiming for it. Where I think sometimes you try to play for, I guess, the crowd pleaser, where it catches the slope, feeds in, and everybody is oohing and aahing, but you can be quite aggressive there, and I think that’s kind of the approach we’ve taken the last couple times we’ve played it, and it’s gotten a lot better. I like the way that we’re attacking the golf course, how we feel on it, and where our misses are.

Q. Was there confidence built last year in learning some things?
BROOKS KOEPKA: No, I don’t know if there’s confidence. It’s more of just an understanding of how to play it. I wouldn’t relate that to confidence. I felt pretty confident. I think everybody in this room knows that every player that goes to play Augusta is going to be confident. They’re there to win, otherwise they wouldn’t show up.

Q. This is kind of a two-parter. No. 16 is the Aon Risk-Reward challenge hole. Last year you had two birdies, two pars that kind of sent you on your way to winning the challenge and the million dollars. With the weather that’s forecast, will that significantly change how you play that hole? And the second part, since you’ve won it, are more players coming up to you or thinking about, hey, I need to get in on this?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Well, I’ll answer your second part. Everybody is in on it. Everybody has got a chance for it. You’ve just got to play good those holes. It’s just a correlation of how well you play that week, too. You play good enough, you’re going to birdie enough holes, and you should win the thing.

Last year I thought I played really well, and obviously it’s going to relate to things like that. You see it in the FedExCup. You’ll see it in the Wyndham Rewards. You just play good, it all takes care of itself.

But as far as 16, it’s pretty much the same thing. You’re trying to hit it about 250, 255 off the tee, hit some bullets. It could be a 3-iron, 4-iron, depending on what this rain does, whether it soaks it. You’re still hitting iron off the tee. Some guys will hit hybrid to get down there, but it’s all pin location, whether — I think any time it’s on the right-hand side of that green, it’s a little easier, or just for me, the way I shape the ball. When it gets on that back left tier, it’s obviously very tough to make a birdie. But the hole itself won’t change.

Q. Speaking of the Masters, Tiger Woods was on a conference call with reporters yesterday, and he spent a fair amount of time talking about one of his memories of last year is how fellow players were happy for him and the way he was treated and the congratulations he received. I’m just curious, next month, is all that goodwill over? Is he just another guy to beat? When you go back there, are there any memories of the previous years, or is it all about just getting past it and winning?
BROOKS KOEPKA: For me, I don’t really go off past experiences too much because then you start — I’ve hit a bad shot on every hole I’ve played out here on TOUR, so I don’t think of that. There’s plenty of good shots I’ve hit on every hole at the same time.

You can’t really think of what’s been good, what’s been bad, but at the same time, when we all get out here, we’re all competitors. There comes a time where, like last year at Augusta, when you’re done, you can kind of go, okay, listen, I gave it my all; I’m pleased with how I played. I hit shots exactly how I wanted to, and sometimes it just doesn’t work out. Then you just shake the guy’s hand and say congrats, that’s awesome, exactly what happened with Tiger last year. I did it with Gary, too, last year. I played great at both those tournaments, and just came up short. Sometimes that happens. That’s golf. You can play your best, but some guys just come out and just flat-out beat you, and you have to accept that. That’s what I think makes this game so beautiful. You can play your best and just get outplayed. And then sometimes you don’t — I felt like there have been times where I haven’t — I felt like I’ve played better in other tournaments and haven’t won, and I haven’t played that great and I’ve won.

There’s just certain times where it works out in your favor and sometimes when it doesn’t, but at the same time you’ve just got to understand that, hey, this guy played unbelievable and shake their hand and accept it.

Q. I think a lot of people when they look back at that heading into the Masters this year will be wanting to talk about what happened on the 12th hole for several players —
BROOKS KOEPKA: What happened?

Q. A lot of things happened in a short period of time. Is that your prominent memory of that tournament, or is it something else?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I’ve said it before, I actually didn’t hit a bad shot on 12. I really didn’t. I think if you go back and look at the tape, I backed off it because the wind direction came — I’ll start it off by saying this: If you’ve ever played Augusta and you’ve stood on the 12th tee, or even if you haven’t, look at the pin on 11, look at what it feels like on the tee, look at 12’s pin, and then try to look at the trees on 13 and they’re all going in different directions. So you tell me which way the wind is going. It’s very difficult. You kind of have to go with what your gut says and what it’s doing at that exact moment.

Not to throw a shade on Henrik, but he hit it in the back trees like 30 yards long. Let’s be realistic, Henrik is not going to hit a shot that’s 30 yards long anywhere. Off a tee? No, it’s just wind. If it gets above those trees, it can do anything, and that’s what I did. You see guys do it all the time. It’s just a matter of does it stay under the trees and go with the wind that’s going through funneling in, or does it get above the trees and do what it’s been doing all day. I actually hit a good shot and it just kind of just spun just a hair too much. But I hit a great shot. I’m aiming right where I should be, right at the center of the green just like everybody else, but at the same time, it’s very difficult.

I don’t think anybody is ever going to understand that, the wind on that hole, and if you do and you hit the green, a lot of times you’ll see guys let a deep breath out because it’s very — I don’t know what else to say. It’s just a difficult hole.

You look at it, four out of six guys I think hit it in on the last day, and I don’t think all four of us are that off on our distance.

Q. I’m guessing that you either saw or heard Rory’s stance last week on the proposal of a different Tour, of a new Tour, and I was curious if you’ve formulated any sort of firm opinion one way or another on what you might be thinking if the opportunity ever happened?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I’m just going to play where the best players play, simple as. I want to play against the best. I think everybody wants to play against the best. Whatever comes of it comes of it, and it is what it is. I just want to play good this week and focus at the Honda Classic. I’m not interested in anything else other than to play good this week and come out with a W.

Q. What did you think of what Rory essentially said, that he’s out? Did that sway your opinion at all or anything along those lines?
BROOKS KOEPKA: My opinion is my opinion. Nobody else is going to sway it. Nobody else is going to — it doesn’t matter. I mean, I respect what Rory said. Everybody has got their own thoughts. Everybody has got a different opinion. It is what it is. I’m pretty sure Rory wants to play against the best players in the world, too. Wherever that is, everybody is going to be playing.

Q. Just kind of an odd segue here, but going back to what you were saying about the Masters, if I were to ask you what the best shot you’ve ever hit was, what would be maybe the five-second answer?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Over at Augusta?

Q. No, just ever, period. What would come to mind?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Probably the 4-iron I hit at Bellerive on the par-3, 16. Just pressure, situational, contact, flight, everything, spin. That was the best shot I’ve hit.

Q. You saw where you recently played a round of golf with Donald Trump. Can you just talk about that experience, how that came about?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah. He’s asked me to play golf maybe three or four times, and it just hasn’t worked out. His schedule is kind of busy, so it’s kind of changed a little bit. I had to cancel on him I think once or twice, too, just some things I had going. It was fun. I actually had a blast. We had a good time. I guess my brother and my dad played — not my whole family, but just those two, and we had a blast. We laughed it up. It was fun. It was great to get out there. I hadn’t played that golf course in years, and it’s always funny time I’ve been lucky enough to be around quite a few Presidents and sitting Presidents where it’s been probably one of the top 5 coolest moments of my life, getting to play golf with the President.

And then when Obama came to the Floridian up there, I didn’t get to play with him, but getting to meet him, that was some of the coolest memories — when I’m on my death bed, that’ll probably be one of the coolest things I’ve ever done, getting to meet those guys. It’s so cool. It really is.

I think it’s interesting when you look back and where as a 13 year old kid, you’re going, oh, it’s so cool, because they used to come down here quite a bit, being like, oh, cool, that’s the President and getting to meet both of those guys as they’re sitting Presidents is very unique and very special, and it’s something I won’t forget.

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

February 26, 2020

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team USA

PGA Tour: Brooks Koepka Addresses the Media at the PGA Championship Media Conference

ST LOUIS, MO - AUGUST 12: Brooks Koepka of the USA celebrates with the winners trophy on the 18th green after winning the 2018 PGA Championship at Bellerive Golf & Country Club on August 12, 2018 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

PGA Tour: 2019 PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka speaks with the media at the annual PGA Championship Media Conference in San Francisco ahead of the 2020 edition taking place at Harding Park

PGA Tour: Brooks Koepka speaks to the media about 2020 PGA Championship

JULIUS MASON: Ladies and gentlemen, the countdown has really officially begun. It’s 84 days until the second major of the year comes upon Harding Park. We are really excited to have our defending champion, Brooks Koepka with us today, and I guess over the next 15 minutes we’re going to go ahead and open the floor to you to ask as many questions as like.

Brooks it’s been over — we have to go back to the ’20s when Walter Hagen won four of these championships in a row. What’s your mind-set going into this PGA Championship when you could come close to history winning three of these things in a row?

BROOKS KOEPKA: It would be incredible. Obviously you look at Walter Hagen is a name everybody knows, every golf fan knows. To even have a chance to put my name with his would be incredible and it would be super special.

Coming back, obviously two-time defending, it’s a different feeling, and one you want to win this year for sure. It’s something I’m looking forward to and can’t wait to get the year started.

Q. Given the hat that you’re wearing, I would imagine the perfect scenario would be to win this thing, look over to the camera and hold up a 2 and a 4?
BROOKS KOEPKA: That would be pretty cool. It would be neat. It would be special. It really would with everything that’s gone on, it’s obviously very sad, but no better way to honor him.

Q. How is your knee? How is your health?
BROOKS KOEPKA: It’s a lot stronger. It’s stable. It feels good. Every once in a while, last Monday was probably — didn’t feel very good but that’s why, you know, I have got my PT with me on the road taking care of everything and making sure that my knee is in the right spot. My knee is so much better. It’s really progressed a lot in the last month and a half.

Q. How will you prepare with the terrain, getting physically ready for the tournament?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I’ll be physically ready. I’ve got plenty of time. What did you say, Julius, 84 days? I’ll be fine. It’s something I’m not worried about. It is walking, so it’s not too bad. But at the same time, downhill is a little bit of a struggle but other than that, everything else is good.

Q. No. 1 in the world for a bit now. How has life changed for you since, if at all?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Obviously being No. 1 is nice, but you get comfortable with it and you know, you’re just trying to make sure you play good. It’s as simple as. Not there right now, but I had three months off, so just trying to find rhythm and get back into the swing of things and really kind of get used to being on Tour again.

Q. I know it’s been a few years, but can you share with us anything that sticks out from playing Harding Park before?
BROOKS KOEPKA: It’s a big boy golf course. You have to be able to hit it long. It’s very difficult. It’s a major championship golf course. You know that. You look at — this finish will be interesting. I think it will be a great finish. You look at the back nine there, starting on about 13, 14, it gets really interesting. You’re going to see a lot of — it will be exciting, especially if it’s close on Sunday. I think those holes let up for quite a few disasters and some good golf.

Q. Can you describe what it’s like, you have a target on your back now as the defending champion and the field is so competitive. When you’re the one that people are pointing toward, how does that change the way you play, or does, it when you know that people are gunning for you?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I like that. Everybody wants to be in that spot. There’s nothing wrong with it. Obviously they are all doing that because you did something good and that’s what you want. Just keep plugging away. It’s not a normal event, but you know, it’s a major; you’re hyped up and you’re pumped to play and ready to go, just get out there and go do what you’re supposed to do.

Q. Last year, the U.S. Opens you were so dominant, and then the Tiger one, the previous PGA Championship, last year, you were in complete control, had a little bit of a hiccup but were able to close the deal. What did you learn about going through that stretch and being able to hold on to win?
BROOKS KOEPKA: It was nice. That’s why you play good the early days so you’ve got a chance. I really didn’t feel like I made any mistakes. It’s a hard golf course, especially when it’s blowing 25, 30 miles an hour in the wind. Played good and didn’t do much wrong but you can make some bogeys pretty quick on that golf course.

It’s been fun to battle it out with him the last few years.

Koepka Talks TPC Harding Park

Q. You called it a “big boy golf course,” Harding, with the trees, and accuracy matters; there’s a distinct San Francisco style of golf. You played in The Open at Olympic as an amateur, as well. What did you learn about San Francisco golf in those tournaments?
BROOKS KOEPKA: You know the rough is going to be thick. You know what you’re going to get. You have to be able to hit it far and you have to be able to hit it straight. There’s been a precedent on making sure accuracy is big, and you know that when you come out here.

You have to find the fairways if you event want to have a chance. If you don’t hit the fairways, you’re going to be struggling to make pars. You’re not going to make any birdies, but it’s a golf course that it’s set up for a major championship like this.

Q. Have you been back to Harding since the Match Play?
BROOKS KOEPKA: No, I haven’t been back. 2015 was the last time I was back. Back out here, might pop up for a day and maybe go play before the event but that’s about it.

Q. Had you heard how narrow the fairways are?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I’m sure they are.

Q. We’re going to see you hit some balls to McCovey Cove. What are you going to be using? A sand wedge? Your putter?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I’ll probably use as much club as I can. I’d love to hit anything. It doesn’t matter. It would be cool to hit one in McCovey Cove. I don’t know. We’ll figure it out when we get down there.

Q. How was the Bart ride with the trophy?
BROOKS KOEPKA: It was fun. I think everybody when I was on Bart was like, what is going on here. Brought like six, seven camera guys, everybody looking. It was fun. We had a good time.

Q. What did you think about the recent distance report?
BROOKS KOEPKA: The long hitters are going to be long hitters whether you roll the ball back or not, it doesn’t matter. I always use the example: Jack Nicklaus drove the green on 18 at St. Andrews and that was, what, 30, 40 years ago and it’s tough to do that now. I can’t even do that now.

It doesn’t matter. Look, kind of speaking out of both sides of their mouth. They want to make it tougher, but at the same time, we want to grow the game and get people involved. So if you’re going to make it tougher, not many people are going to want to play.

Q. Does Harding Park allow you to play your type of game? Does it put a different club in your hand from the fact that it is a narrower course and it’s got trees on each side of the fairway? Do you have to be smart about the way you attack?
BROOKS KOEPKA: You just have to take what the hole gives you. It doesn’t matter. There’s no real — my style of golf, nothing like that. You just try to go out there and figure out what the hole gives you and depending where the pin is and what the miss is, there’s about 30 things that can come into play and you just have to take what it will let you do.

Q. Do you have an idea — a few months out, what type of a game plan you may have for this type of a golf course?
BROOKS KOEPKA: It all kind of depends. You get a wind direction or the weather report comes in, whatever. It can change to anything in an instant. Doesn’t matter. Holes playing downwind now might play into the wind when we’re here. You just have got to see, kind of wait and figure out what the best opportunities are.

Q. How much does it matter, if at all, that this is on a public course? I know Bethpage last year, there haven’t been very many, Torrey Pines I guess, but truly municipal courses to host an event of this magnitude?
BROOKS KOEPKA: It’s incredible. Obviously anybody can go out and go play, which makes it unique. Makes it cool. So people really understand where we’ve been. If we have hit in a certain — behind a tree or hit it left on this hole or hit it right on that hole, the average golfer out there knows exactly what we’re dealing with. It brings people a little bit closer to us.

Q. Does it send an important message, battling the elitism?
BROOKS KOEPKA: For sure, definitely had that feeling for years and years and years. It’s nice to bring it to a public place and nice to bring it to somewhere where, you know, it’s not that exclusivity that’s been, I guess, tagged with golf for a long time.

Q. How important is it for you to try to get back to No. 1?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I’ve just got to play good golf, man. That’s all I’ve got to do. If I play good golf, everything should take care of itself. Just trying to feel a little bit of a rhythm, build up on it. I’ve only been hitting golf balls for a month and a half now. Everything should be pretty close.

Q. How did you handle the play off, not being able to play.
BROOKS KOEPKA: I mean, it was a grind. It was the second we got back from Korea. I was in rehab right away, so I didn’t really have much time to think about anything else other than just go attack the knee and make it strong and make it back to what it was. That was the only way possible.

So I really haven’t had much time to think about anything else other than trying to get back out here and trying to be able to play again.

Q. What are your thoughts on playing this championship in a world-class city like San Francisco? It puts the PGA Tour and so many great players in this area.
BROOKS KOEPKA: It’s fun. I’ve spent a bunch of time out here in San Francisco when I was going through college and just getting done. Spent a much of time with a family out here in Pleasanton. It was kind of a second home there for a little bit. It’s fun. It’s fun to get back here and see everything.

Obviously it will be a fun week with the fans here. I think it will be exciting and hopefully they are looking forward to it.

Q. Has anyone in this area helped influence your game as a golfer teaching-wise?
BROOKS KOEPKA: No. I haven’t got any lessons out here. It’s kind of far for me to travel from Florida, so I wasn’t out here getting much lessons. But no, nobody out here.

Q. Do you have relatives in Pleasanton?
BROOKS KOEPKA: No. They were family friends. They were out there. So go play golf with them. One of them, Noah, is actually playing golf at the University of Washington. Be cool to see them. Hopefully they will be out.

Q. You mentioned Walter Hagen and that was so long ago in Match Play. Will you embrace that trying to go three in a row in stroke play, something that’s never been done in this championship, or just I want to play the golf tournament?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I just want to play good golf, man. It’s simple. You start thinking about all the things that could happen, that’s when, you know, I guess nerve, everything else kind of creeps in. Just stay in the moment and keep plugging along.

Q. When you win a major, how does that change your life?
BROOKS KOEPKA: A major? I mean, it puts you in a different category than everybody else. You can win as many tour events as you want, but at the end of the day, you’re remembered by how many majors you’ve won. You look at it, and I’ve said it before, Arnie, Jack, Tom Watson, Gary Player, all these guys, I can’t tell you how many PGA Tour events they won, but I promise you everybody knows how many majors they won.

Q. But when you go to 7-11, Wal-Mart, whatever, at one point it’s like, oh, there’s Brooks Koepka and then you win a major, oh, snap, expletive, it’s Brooks Koepka. Is it like that?
BROOKS KOEPKA: It’s definitely a little bit different. Get noticed a lot more. Things like that, it definitely changes your life a little bit.

I’m still the same me, so it doesn’t matter. I’m still just a regular guy just like anybody else.

Q. Have you been to a baseball game here? Did you play baseball growing up?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I did. Actually I went on a date with Jena before were dating here, actually. Buster gave me tickets. I knew Buster from Florida State. He helped us out with tickets and we were here in 2015.

Q. So you didn’t go for the perfect game?
BROOKS KOEPKA: No, I wasn’t. I didn’t make it out. I wasn’t going to be getting free tickets from anybody at that point. (Laughter).

Q. Have you looked into the Premiere Golf League?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, everybody’s pretty much heard about it, looking at things.

Q. What do you think?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I mean, there is a possibility. Obviously they have got financial backing. So it’s become more and more real, especially with everything that’s developing. They are giving us information. But at the same time, we’ve got to figure out what’s best for us. We have no idea. So when we make that determination, we’ll let everybody know.

Q. Both you and Rory have been dismissive of the rivalry labeled between you two, but has him overtaking you at world No. 1 changed your mind-set in regard to your ebb and flow with him?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Not really. I just don’t — we haven’t competed going into a major coming down the stretch. I think the only time we really competed with each other was WGC.

So other than that, we haven’t been in contention in the same tournaments coming down the stretch, so it’s hard to say there’s a rivalry. Even people talk about the Phil and Tiger rivalry, it was kind of one-sided there for a long time, too. I just don’t see rivalries in golf, I really don’t.

Q. You’ve obviously won this twice and each major seems to have its own personality, and Augusta with the greens, U.S. Open with the rough, British Open with the wind. What in your mind is the signature sort of element of a PGA Championship?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I think the fact that they can switch it up and make it different. I like the fact that you can play this in long rough, big tall rough. You can play it with not that much rough and make it difficult.

You look at like Bellerive two years ago, that was one of the funner courses to play, and then you look at it last year was probably one of the most difficult golf courses you’re going to play in the entire world. The way that they can vary it and make it different, and make it enjoyable for the fans.

Q. What was different about Bellerive?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I think, too, there’s a lot of — it’s a sporting town. St. Louis is a good sporting town. It was fun to be there. In fact, I just remember how hot it was. I must have lost like ten pounds that week.

Q. Can you speak to the talent on the PGA Tour right now? It seems like it’s in a great spot right now with so many international and American players. Just how hard is it to win on this tour right now?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, it’s obviously very difficult. So many guys, you go down the line, you’ve got Rory, J.T., Dustin. I could name 15 names, rattle them off. I think that’s why you’re not going to see — guys are not going to win 30, 40 times like they have years and years ago just for the fact of it’s not going to be possible. There’s too much competition.

Q. What do you remember about the baseball game you saw here, if you flash back to the U.S. Open at Olympic and the match play at Harding and to now think you’re coming back to San Francisco as No. 1 or close to No. 1. Pretty striking contrast to where your career was.
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, it’s different. That might have been my first match play, too. I could be wrong. It might have been my first one. It’s crazy to look how far I’ve come and how things have changed over the last, you know, four or five years.

Q. Any memories from that baseball game here?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Had a good day. I guess it worked out for me.

Q. Will you have a chance to play Harding several times before the PGA Championship?
BROOKS KOEPKA: We’ll see. It kind of depends. I remember a little bit of it, but also at the same time depends how much off-time we get and if I can if I’m over here, obviously going to spend quite a bit of time in San Diego with my guy and probably can, if I can pop up and the weather looks good, I’ll pop up for a day and play.

San Francisco, California

February 17, 2020

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team USA

European Tour: Brooks Koepka Talks Controversial Saudi International

UNSPECIFIED, SAUDI ARABIA - JANUARY 28: Brooks Koepka of the United States talking to the media prior to the Saudi International at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club on January 28, 2020 in King Abdullah Economic City , Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

PGA Tour professional Brooks Koepka talks to the media ahead of the start of the controversial Saudi International tournament about his recent return from injury, relationship with Kobe Bryant and the new Premiere Golf league.

European Tour: Brooks Koepka speaks with the media prior to Saudi International

STEVE TODD: Pleased to welcome Brooks Koepka back to the interview room. Brooks obviously you played in the inaugural event last year. Just give us your thoughts on being back here at Royal Greens this week and having seen the back nine today, your thoughts on the course and how it’s developed.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, it’s gotten a lot better than it was last year. Any time you can give a course an extra year to really develop, you’re going to see the progression of it. The greens are a lot faster. The rough’s a lot thicker. It’s settled in nicely.

Full Leaderboard: 2020 Saudi International

I’ve only played nine holes, but it looks incredible shape just as it was last year, just a little more settled in, which will be different. You never know what the scores could be. A few greens are a little firmer and faster, and if the wind gets up like it usually does in the afternoon, it might be a different story this year. You don’t know.

STEVE TODD: And you made your return from injury in Abu Dhabi a couple of weeks ago. Give us a sense of what you’ve been doing in the period over in Dubai and your thoughts on the game coming into this week.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Just practised all week. I had three months off, so there was no point in having a holiday or a vacation. It was more of a work thing. Just got the game ready. Felt good in Abu Dhabi. Felt good in Dubai. Feels good here.

Just a matter of going out and executing. I played just fine, great shots in Abu Dhabi. Just didn’t score and that’s my own fault. Just coming here to try to figure it out and put some scores together, put some rounds together, and yeah, try to eliminate some mistakes.

Q. You put out quite an emotional Tweet after the dental of Kobe Bryant, posting that message. Can you talk about that message? Was it personal to you — it referred to injury recovery?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, he sent that to Gordon Hayward when he destroyed his leg about two years ago, with the Celtics. He sent it to him and I remember reading it and thinking, wow, that was pretty cool.

My wrist, I had it in the background of my phone every day. So it was something, his words were what I looked at every day, or every time I looked at my phone, which I think everybody knows is about 20, 30 times a day, if not more. Just pick it apart, see different things. It kind of helped me understand that it’s okay to be upset. Okay, I don’t want to say I was depressed, but you get pretty down, and just the fact that it’s okay to be down and figure it out and actually grow and enjoy the process. Because it sucks at the time, but what’s going to come out in the end is going to be a whole lot better and it makes you appreciate everything and look at it different.

Q. What stands out to you about him?
BROOKS KOEPKA: To me, I was a Lakers fan because of him. I kind of missed the Jordan era, so anybody I think my age was a big, big Kobe fan. I mean, I cried, I cried that night. I’ve never met him, but I cried for him, you know, just for him, his family and everybody that was golfed. I guess goosebumps now thinking about it. I just can’t imagine those last — you know, those last few seconds, having to hold your daughter and not know and not see the rest of your family again. Made you really appreciate life and what you have, and golf’s a stupid game that we just play. It’s really not that important. I know everybody likes to think it is, but it’s not. Your family, your friends, everybody around you; the impact you might have on other people is way more important than what I do out here and what I shoot. If I shoot 80 tomorrow, or I guess Thursday, or 60, it doesn’t matter.

Q. There’s been a lot of talk the last few days about this proposed Premiere Golf League. Can you give us your thoughts on what you’ve scene or heard? I know there was talk, an e-mail from Jay Monahan to the players. Have you had a chance to look at that and your thoughts on that?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I saw the e-mail last night before I was going to bed. We’ve heard talks about it for a while. I was only brought up-to-date, I think on January 4th where it was more of — instead of hearing about it for a couple years, okay, I think this might actually happen. I just don’t have enough information on it, I really don’t. I’m always going to speak my mind and tell you what I think, and I think everybody in this room knows that, but I just couldn’t know enough to genuinely have an opinion or know — know enough to speak on it. So I’m kind of — don’t really — I don’t really have much to say on it because I don’t know all the facts.

Q. Is the Tour response how you think it would be in terms of what Jay said to the players?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Well, I mean, what do you think their response is going to be when something comes along the way? We’ll see. I have no idea. This is all basically a month old for me when I realised that, okay, well, this could be a possibility. I don’t know.

When I know all the details, I’ll be happy to sit in front of you guys and talk to you about it.

Q. Along the same line, I know there’s not one thing that would sell you on leaving the PGA Tour and doing this, but if you had a list of things that you would like to see differently on the Tour, is there anything?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Well, it would start with pace of play, so that was good. I don’t know, I’ve never really thought about a bunch of things I would change.

I think field size. I think I would shorten the field size a little bit because there are times where it’s very difficult to finish, especially in the fall for those couple tournaments.

Smaller field size, yeah, that’s what I got off the top of my head. That’s actually a really good question. If you give me a day to think about it, I’ll give you an answer.

Q. Would continued access to major championships be the absolute deal breaker?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I mean, that’s obviously — there’s a lot of things that are going to have to play into it. In golf, that’s what you’re remembered by, major championships. You know, it just depends on how things go. So far, I haven’t even thought about it. I mean, the Olympics is still even new. You know, it not something I grew up wanting to do. Golf wasn’t in the Olympics. It was never an option. So kind of don’t know how I feel about that.

And then, you know, major championships are how you’re remembered. It’s not — I know everybody always gives me grief about not winning enough PGA Tour events or European Tour or not winning enough, but I said this a couple weeks ago, I guarantee most of you in here don’t even know how many regular tour events Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tom Watson; you just know how many majors they won. At the end of the day, that’s how you’re remembered by in golf.

It’s a big part for me, and see where it goes. I mean, things are, I guess, developing, even as we speak. When things are more finalised and kind of put in stone and I understand it and I exactly know where things are falling, then I’ll be probably one of the first ones to make a choice or figure out what I’m going to do.

Q. You mentioned the Olympics, and you’ve seen what’s happened with Justin Rose having a Gold Medal. Can you think about that for a second and if you think now if the Olympics are maybe as important as a major to you?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Because it’s so new, I don’t — no, I don’t think it is, just because it’s so new. I think it’s an incredible honour. You ask most athletes that are running 100 metres, gymnastics, anything like that, that they wait four years for that.

We have four majors a year. Track, you’ve got indoors and outdoor championships, different things like that, but that’s their big event, the Olympics, and it only comes around every four years. Golf, we’ve got four majors every year, and now we’re going to add the Olympics and you’ve got The Ryder Cup or the Presidents Cup, plus the FedExCup for us, and that’s a lot of weeks on the road, a lot of weeks traveling back and forth, a lot of time zones.

You know, it just all kind of depends how you feel, how your body feels, whether — to me, the four majors are definitely more important for me. The FedExCup, too. That’s pretty — that’s a goal of mine. We’ll see where everything else falls.

Q. I understand, Brooks, that you see the majors as more important, but your Asian colleagues on Tour probably don’t, do they, and they think so much more so about trying to win golf in the Olympics. I wonder if in 20 years or so as the Asian players coming on at the moment, if an Olympic medal will mean every bit as much as a major around the world?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Everyone’s allowed to have their own opinion. If it’s more important to them, that’s great. If it’s more important — I’m sure it’s more important to some people that are playing this week. It’s their own opinion.

I mean, I’m sitting up here giving you opinions. I mean, you’re asking me my opinion, so I gave it to you.

Q. No, I’m very grateful to have your opinion. I’m just wondering what — you do speak to your Asian colleagues about what they value more.
BROOKS KOEPKA: I mean, I haven’t spoken to anybody, really, about the Olympics. I’ve spoken to other Olympic athletes. I don’t speak to guys out here on Tour about the Olympics. I don’t. It’s just they are my competitors. I don’t really talk to them. I don’t hang out with them. I don’t ask them, hey, you know, thinking of playing the Olympics in seven months, a year, four years?

Q. I find that quite interesting. Thank you.
BROOKS KOEPKA: Got other things to talk about.

STEVE TODD: Brooks, thanks a lot, thanks for joins us. Good luck this week.

January 28, 2020

King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team USA

European Tour: Brooks Koepka Recaps Opening Round 66 At The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 16: Brooks Koepka of The United States tees off on the ninth during Day One of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club on January 16, 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

PGA Tour professional and 4 time major champion Brooks Koepka speaks with the media following the opening round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, his first competitive round in nearly three months.

PGA Tour: Brooks Koepka talks first competitive round following knee surgery

Q. Your first competitive round in nearly three months resulted in a bogey-free 66. I imagine it feels good, but tell us from your point of view?
BROOKS KOEPKA: It does. It’s good to be back. Missed the competition obviously. Played really solid. Missed a few putts early if I really want to pick it apart. Drove the ball well. Controlled ball flight and controlled distances really well and that’s what you have to do out here.

Q. What’s your sense of how the golf course played today?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Pretty good. Usually in the afternoon the wind picks up, and you know that going in, so when you have a morning tee time, you have to take advantage of it. I did that today. Hopefully tomorrow the wind stays down a little bit because this golf course into the wind, or with the wind, can be very difficult.

Full Leaderboard: Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship 2020

Q. When we chatted on Tuesday, you said you were particularly targeting an improvement in short game and touch around the greens. 17 from back of the green, horrible lie, very difficult and needed a great touch. How pleased were you with the short game today?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, it was, it was really good. To chip one in there, I wasn’t expecting that, but short game was really good. The strike was really good. I worked hard with Pete in trying to make sure that I know what I’m doing, and understand what I’m doing and can make it repeatable.

Q. A new driver in the bag. How did it feel today?
BROOKS KOEPKA: It works. When they hand it to me and it works; we had a long session on Tuesday trying to figure out — we couldn’t get it quite right but we got it dialed in and it worked, so I’m very pleased with it.

Q. How did the knee feel in competition?
BROOKS KOEPKA: It feels fine. It was a little sore last night. Just did some treatment on it. That’s expected. This is a first week I’ve walked 18 holes and I’ve done it three times already. It’s a little tired.

Q. 66. Your analysis of how today went for you?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I played really solid. Controlled distances. Controlled flights. Controlled spin. Everything that’s exactly what you want to do. Felt good to be back out playing, just feeling the competition again. I’m pretty pleased with it.

Q. We’ve heard from a lot of players leading up to this week how key it is to stay on the fairway, on a day which probably wasn’t your strongest off the tee as far as accuracy. Not a bogey on the card?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, some of these fairways are like 12 yards wide, so I’m not really expecting to hit them. When you put it in the rough — you just have to position. You know where the pins are at. When you know the pins are at, you can kind of play the hole backwards and figure out if you can be aggressive off the tee and hit driver, and then sometimes it pays off to have that lob wedge, even when it’s in the rough, and other times you’ve just got to lay it back. You’ve got to understand the golf course and really how to play it.

Q. You’re often noted and praised for how strong you are and how long off the tee. Your short game has always been impeccable. Do you feel like you don’t get enough credit in that area?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I don’t know. I feel like I’m doing just fine. I’m not really worried. I’m worried about what Pete tells me to do in the short game and that’s about it.

Q. 17, incredible chip and Tommy nearly matched it, and a giggle we didn’t pick up on the feed. What happened?
BROOKS KOEPKA: We were just laughing. My caddie wasn’t exactly helping out. He was too focused on talking and Shane had to face his caddie with Tommy there for a half-second because Bo was in the bunker with Shane. Then I was just grabbing the pin, and Rickie was just — it’s his first week back, put it that way.

Q. The pace of play policy rolled out, this is an area you’ve been outspoken in the past. You must be delighted things are moving in this direction?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, the game is evolving. You see it with the technology and the way the golf courses are build. The rules are starting to change a little bit with it, and I think it’s a good thing. We’re moving forward, moving in the right direction. I’m sure in ten years’ time, there will be a lot more things have changed.

Brooks Koepka speaks on return from injury:

Q. After an injury layoff to come back in that manner must be very satisfying?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, solid. I like the way I’ve played. I’ve kind of known I’ve been hitting it really well, putting it really well for a couple weeks. I think the first day I picked up the club, same thing. Felt like I hadn’t left. I’ve done it for years and years. You don’t forget how to swing the golf club.

Q. When you are in the midst of an injury layoff, do you ever worry that you might not be able to pick it up as quickly when you are able to get back?
BROOKS KOEPKA: No, not really. The only thing is if the injury actually prevents from you swinging the golf club and I wasn’t going to swing a golf club until I knew I was able to do that. I got the green light from everybody to be able to start hitting balls and I did, and it’s fine.

Q. It’s one thing to do it in practice, but then under the gun of competition. To go bogey-free as you did today, and have the moments that you did must be very, very pleasing?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I’m very pleased with how I played today. I’m excited and it will be nice to be able to practice again. I haven’t been able to practice; last year, I just couldn’t practice. It was too painful and wasn’t being able to do the things I wanted to do.

I told my team in the last year, I was just going to really rededicate myself for the next five, six years, and we’ll see where we are. From there, you know, who knows, other things might be a priority.

Q. And physically, how do you feel about your first round in competition back?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I feel fine physically. I’m out of shape but —

Q. You don’t look out of shape.
BROOKS KOEPKA: Well, it takes a little bit to get in golfing shape. You stand on the putting green for 30 minutes and putt and your back starts to ache. Just little things like that. But it will be fine. Only take a couple more weeks.

Q. And you’ve given yourself a great platform for the week.
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, hopefully just keep it the rest of the week.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Abu Dhabi, UAE

January 16, 2020