Brooks Koepka is attempting to win his third consecutive PGA Championship May 14-17 at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. He spoke with the media on Monday. Here is a smattering of his best comments…..
On the chance to win three in a row..
“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.”
Regarding the target on his back as the two-time defending champion..
“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.”
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.
On his health, including a left knee injury that plagued him much of last season..
“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.”
His thoughts on TPC Harding Park..
“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.”
Does TPC Harding Park allow him to play his normal type of game?
“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.”
Playing another major on a public venue..
“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.”
Playing in San Francisco..
“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.
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.
How did winning a major change his life?
“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.”
What makes the PGA Championship so special?
“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.”
