Brooks Koepka Makes Audacious Claims about Major Championships and Tiger Woods
Brooks Koepka, the five-time major winner, recently made some audacious claims during an appearance on Barstool’s Pardon My Take podcast. While discussing the upcoming Ryder Cup, it was his comments about Tiger Woods and major championships that caught everyone’s attention.
Koepka listed some very lofty and improbable goals, stating that he believes he can reach 12 major titles. He even went on to count the number of majors he believes he could have won if not for certain circumstances. “Well, you think about how many I’ve already blown. Like, I blew one to Phil, so that would be six. Tiger — that’s seven. Jon Rahm — so that’s eight. Gary Woodland — lost to Gary, so that’s nine. I feel like I should have nine right now,” Koepka said.
Instead of simply answering whether he believed he could catch Woods, Koepka took a dig at the legendary golfer. “I hope so. That’d be great, right? That was the benchmark,” Koepka said. “14 till I gave him 15.” This comment raises the question of whether Koepka truly believes he gave Woods his 15th major or if Woods simply outperformed him on that particular occasion.
The incident in question is the 2019 Masters, where Woods entered the final round one shot ahead of Koepka. Both players carded a 2-under 70, but it was Woods who emerged victorious, claiming his 15th major championship. Koepka finished tied for second with Xander Schauffele and Dustin Johnson.
Although Koepka is undoubtedly an elite player in major championships and often considered one of the best of his generation, his numbers pale in comparison to Woods. While it is admirable for Koepka to set lofty goals, claiming he gifted Woods his 15th major seems like a stretch.
Despite the controversy surrounding his comments, Koepka remains focused on the upcoming Ryder Cup. He arrived in Rome on Monday and is set to play in his fourth Ryder Cup this week. With nine PGA Tour wins under his belt, Koepka has regained his confidence, but he should not forget the struggles he faced in his game after the 2019 Masters.
In conclusion, while Brooks Koepka’s ambition to win 12 major championships is commendable, his claim of gifting Tiger Woods his 15th major seems like an exaggerated statement. As he competes in the Ryder Cup and continues his golf career, it will be interesting to see if Koepka can back up his audacious claims and solidify his place among the greatest players in the sport.
About the author: Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough as well.