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Koepka Walks It Like He Talks It

Brooks Koepka is trying to make history, not friends.

The West Palm Beach native seeks to become the first golfer in 64 years to win a major three consecutive times when Koepka re-defends the corona-virus-delayed PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park on Aug. 6-9.

How many players can say they accomplished something that Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods were unable to do? The last player to win a major three times in a row was Peter Thomson (British Open, 1954-56.)

Additionally, nobody has won the PGA three straight times during the stroke-play era; Hall of Famer Walter Hagen won four in a row from 1924-27 when it was a match-play championship. Koepka has an opportunity to double-dip in the history department by winning his fifth career major.

“It would be incredible,” Koepka said. “Obviously, you look at Walter Hagen … a name every golf fan knows. To even have a chance to put my name with his would be incredible and it would be super special.”

You know Koepka is going to give it all he has. Last year, when he had the chance to join Willie Anderson as the only players to win the U.S. Open three times in a row, Koepka finished runner-up to Gary Woodland at Pebble Beach.

You also know Koepka isn’t going to go quietly into the night. Big, bad Brooks doesn’t do quiet anymore. He tried that the first five years of his professional career, and soon felt like he was hitting a 3-iron off every year.

Koepka doesn’t lay up with his words. Just ask Bryson DeChambeau, Nick Faldo, Sergio García or Koepka’s favorite target, Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee.

After a beefed-up DeChambeau won the recent Rocket Mortgage Classic by averaging 350 yards a drive, Koepka tweeted a video that insinuated DeChambeau’s new physique is because of steroid use. The video is of a washed-up ballplayer, Kenny Powers, on Eastbound & Down, that shows Powers reacting angrily to a question about steroid abuse.

Previously, DeChambeau took a shot at Koepka’s lack of abs after Koepka appeared in ESPN’s Body 2019. Koepka responded with a photo of his four major trophies with a response “You were right @b_dechambeau I am 2 short of a 6 pack!” Koepka also has been a constant critic of DeChambeau’s slow play.

Faldo, a six-time major champion and TV analyst, moved into Koepka’s target line not long after Koepka was asked if he would agree to wear a microphone at Hilton Head because the PGA Tour returned without fans.

“If the announcers would just shut up and listen, you could hear every word that we’re talking about,” Koepka said.

Faldo’s response came on air a week later when Koepka had to miss the Travelers Championship after his caddie tested positive for COVID-19.

“I was looking forward to hearing some more fascinating stuff from (Koepka) today, but unfortunately he wasn’t around this week,” Faldo said. “I know he’s watching at home, guys, because he loves listening to we analysts and our scintillating insights. He’s probably poolside in his thong, you know, enjoying himself.”

García felt Koepka’s wrath after the Spaniard complained about the conditions of the greens after an event in Saudi Arabia.

“That’s just Sergio acting like a child,” Koepka said. “It’s unfortunate that he’s got to do that and complain. Everybody’s got to play the same golf course. You’re 40 years old, so you’ve got to grow up eventually.”

Koepka’s feud with Chamblee, Golf Channel’s lead analyst, goes back longer … to the point where Koepka has a dartboard at his Jupiter home with Chamblee’s photo on it.

Chamblee criticized Koepka for losing weight to appear in the Body issue. Chamblee’s biggest jab came when he said only two players, Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson, could challenge Woods as the world’s best player.

Koepka responded by sending a tweet of Chamblee with a clown’s nose.

Koepka also had the guts to recently say he might boycott this year’s Ryder Cup if it was played without fans (in early July the PGA of America postponed the matches until next year).

We could go on, but you get the picture.

There’s a new sheriff on the PGA Tour, and his name is Brooks Koepka. He hasn’t changed, he insists. He believes he now has the golf cred to say what he wants.

Brooks Koepka (PGA of America)

“You’re actually getting the real me now,” Koepka said. “I think before I was just trying to be politically correct and not stir any bubbles and just kind of be unnoticed. To be honest with you, I feel like now where I’ve put myself in the game, I’ve kind of established myself, and I feel like I actually do have a voice, and it will be heard.

“When you’ve only won once on the PGA Tour, you can’t really say the things you want to say. You haven’t established yourself; you haven’t put yourself out there. But there are a lot of things I’ve got opinions on. I’m not going to hold anything back.”

His buddies agree Koepka hasn’t changed that much the past three years. It’s the amount of attention the 30-year-old receives after winning the four majors.

“No offense, but nobody really talked to him,” Justin Thomas said. “There
was no one to speak his mind to, other than us.”

Koepka didn’t seek the spotlight earlier in his career, either. He did the opposite.

When he won his first major, the 2017 U.S. Open, West Palm Beach officials wanted to present him the key to the city. South Florida’s only homegrown men’s major champion politely said no.

After he won each of his four majors, in fact, Koepka passed on the usual media tour. It’s not his style.

As much as he complains about slights – real or perceived – Koepka is content to play well, win his trophy and enjoy it with his buddies.

“I just want to play good golf, man,” he said. “It’s simple.”

Can Koepka complete the three-peat at TPC Harding Park? He played the course in the 2015 WGC-Match Play Championship, going 2-1 but not advancing to the Round of 16.

“It’s a big boy golf course,” he said. “You have to be able to hit it long. It’s very difficult.

It’s a major championship golf course. You know that.”

Koepka was fortunate the PGA was delayed three months – not that anyone is fortunate due to COVID-19 – because he needed time to recover from a left knee injury. Koepka had two missed cuts and no top-10 finishes in his past seven events when golf was shut down in March.

History is certain to be made at the PGA. It’s the first time the PGA will be the year’s first major since 1971, and the 13-month gap between majors is the longest since World War II.

Koepka has a chance to do what he does best: Make history.

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