Shots fired! Koepka on Rory: We’re not rivals
Brooks Koepka couldn’t resist poking a bit of fun at Rory McIlroy when asked about the pair’s supposed rivalry
Death, taxes, and Brooks Koepka telling it like it is. The World No. 1 is at it again, this time saying he doesn’t believe he and Rory McIlroy have what can be generally considered a “rivalry”.
Koepka and McIlroy are currently the top two ranked players in the world, each have won four majors, and last year they went toe-to-toe in the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational and Tour Championship, two of the season’s biggest events, with each winning one. McIlroy also pipped Koepka to the PGA Tour Player of the Year award for 2019, despite him thinking he should have won it.
But that’s not enough for the big-hitting American, who will defend his CJ Cup title in South Korea this week, where he seemed to poke fun at McIlroy.
“I’ve been out here for, what, five years,” Koepka said in his press conference. “Rory hasn’t won a major since I’ve been on the PGA Tour.
“I’m No. 1 in the world, I’ve got open road in front of me, and I’m not looking in the rear-view mirror, so I don’t see it as a rivalry.
“If the fans do then that’s on them and it could be fun.”
The 29-year-old has won all four of his majors since his breakthrough at the 2017 US Open, while McIlroy’s last came at the 2014 PGA Championship.
“I love Rory,” Koepka added. “He’s a great player and he’s fun to watch, but it’s just hard to believe there’s a rivalry in golf. I just don’t see it”
Just imagine how good Koepka would be if there was a rivalry that he was really invested in…
Joe Hughes
Tour editor covering men's golf, women's golf and anything else that involves the word golf, really. The talk is far better than the game, but the work has begun to change that.
