New Golf Digest Brooks Koepka Interview - His Thoughts on 18 Majors

[nevets88]

It's a mid-longish piece and still going through it but this one got my attention via social media.

Quote

Has Tiger set the bar out of reach?

In my mind, I’m going to catch him on majors. I believe that. I don’t see any reason that can stop me. I’m 31. I have another 14 years left. If I win one a year, I got Jack. People misconstrue that as being cocky. No, that’s just my belief.

 

Brooks Koepka doesn't hold back in our exclusive poolside interview | Golf News and Tour Information | GolfDigest.com

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The four-time major champ discusses the emotional makeup of the modern pro athlete, the physical and mental skills necessary to win in...

 

[iacas]

Ha! Uhhh, no. I'd almost be willing to bet he has better odds of never winning one again than even getting to six.

He's not getting to 15 let alone 18. He won't get to 8.

[Darkfrog]

My low opinion of Koepka just got lower.

Quote

Your bag doesn’t look like the standard tour-player setup—no big logo and an eclectic mix of clubs from several companies, including one that doesn’t exist anymore.

 

I’m not a guy that switches. Dustin [Johnson] says he doesn’t switch, but he switches the most out of anybody I’ve ever seen. You might not think it’s a switch, but he’ll have, like, five drivers with him for the week. He’s always switching putters, or a 3-iron and 5-wood combo. I still have a Nike 3-iron. That’s five years old. I still play an SM4 Vokey wedge. What are they on now? SM8? My putter has been in for a year and a half, but I’ve had the same model since 2008.

The first quote in the article really bugged me for some reason. Didn't Koepka recently switch to Srixon ZX7 irons, and I know he switched from Taylormade driver to Callaway, and then back to Taylormade. So he has an old Nike 3-iron and hasn't switched putters, so he's "not a guy that switches"?

[Darkfrog]

Then he went on to say (re: gamesmanship):

Quote

A great example of gamesmanship is what Phil did to me at the PGA. I got trounced on that one. I thought it was pretty good what he was doing.

...

His body language. I don’t want to give it away, but I didn’t handle it well. You’ll have to ask him about it. I think he knew what he was doing.

And then cops out when asked to explain what Phil did.

Quote

I could see [what he was doing] because I know it. I do it.

 

[Shorty]

In fairness to Koepka, he's really just saying that if he doesn't have that belief there's no way he can even approach that number. 

If you asked him to bet $50 million that in 10 years time he has less than 10 majors you might get a different answer. 

It's still a douche comment. Imagine if Rory had said in 2010 that all he has to do is win a major every year for 20 years to eclipse Jack and everyone else.

It's really just like a rookie turning up somewhere and saying that there's no point in playing if you aren't expecting to win.

Or Poulter saying that when his game is on it's just him and Tiger. 

I think that these guys should keep their goals private because they always come back to bite them.

 

Edited September 14, 2021 by Shorty

[imsys0042]

Alexa….show me someone who is a legend in their own mind, please.

[iacas]

26 minutes ago, Shorty said:

In fairness to Koepka, he's really just saying that if he doesn't have that belief there's no way he can even approach that number. 

You can answer that question by saying "you know, in my mind, I can win every major I play in. It requires good luck, some good timing with respect to where your game is at the moment, and someone else not getting on a heater and just beating you, but if we don't believe we can win every time we tee it up, why else would we play?"

[Shorty]

11 minutes ago, iacas said:

You can answer that question by saying "you know, in my mind, I can win every major I play in. It requires good luck, some good timing with respect to where your game is at the moment, and someone else not getting on a heater and just beating you, but if we don't believe we can win every time we tee it up, why else would we play?"

I know - but I don't expect Koepka to have any degree of humility, insight, self awareness or class. He's so desperate to be an alpha male he just makes himself look like a jerk no matter what he does. You'd think that even the most basic media training or intellect would make your suggested response obvious. Unfortunately not.

 

[Vinsk]

Brooks just doesn’t have ‘it.’ But he desperately wants to, yet wants us all to believe he doesn’t care.

[GolfLug]

Haven't read the interview but thanks for posting the blurbs.. For me the biggest reveal this year is how much Brooks is an immature drama queen. Haha.

I don't care if he isn't an interviewer's delight like say Rory but then best if he stay in his lane. The harder he tries to be cool, the more he is not. Not great but he had an ok thing going with his boring facade and letting his play and everyone around him doing the talking. Now he is stuck in the middle. 

Edited September 14, 2021 by GolfLug

[imsys0042]

He’s kind of turning into Al Buddy from Married with Children (4 touchdowns in a game equals 4 majors) and then nothing.  When you are on top of the world, you should enjoy it (and realize success is fleeting, so enjoy but be humble). 
 

that interview reminds me of every bad CEO/Silicon Valley/interrupter interview in a business magazine that was basically less journalism and more a puff piece to sell a thousand more magazines to bored travelers in a busy airport.   If Brooksey doesn’t win another major soon, who knows what he’ll do for attention.  Surprised he didn’t pose in a Speedo for the “interview”.

[mailman]

On 9/14/2021 at 10:25 PM, Shorty said:

In fairness to Koepka, he's really just saying that if he doesn't have that belief there's no way he can even approach that number. 

 

 

This is the psychology of winners though. They aim big and when you aim big you are more likely to achieve SOMETHING compared to aiming low and achieving nothing :)

[turtleback]

On 9/14/2021 at 2:21 PM, Darkfrog said:

Then he went on to say (re: gamesmanship):

And then cops out when asked to explain what Phil did.

 

Isnt́ this pretty much the same as what Phil said about Tiger, years ago?

On 9/14/2021 at 2:53 PM, iacas said:

You can answer that question by saying "you know, in my mind, I can win every major I play in. It requires good luck, some good timing with respect to where your game is at the moment, and someone else not getting on a heater and just beating you, but if we don't believe we can win every time we tee it up, why else would we play?"

Thatś pretty much what Tiger said when he turned pro and got laughed at.  

[Bonvivant]

The thing that gets me about BK is that for a couple of years, he really did have "it". Injury combined with ego are keeping him from more success IMO.