Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, renowned for his unwavering presence on the golf course, recently revealed a surprising instance of nervousness during a competition. In a candid discussion with Claire Rogers on The Scoop, Koepka disclosed that his most anxiety-inducing experience did not occur during any of his major triumphs, but rather at the LIV event in Saudi Arabia.
Reflecting on his emotions during the tournament, Koepka elucidated, “Because it meant the most to me, and I was trying to finish off the event, it was the LIV event in Saudi Arabia. Just because I finally felt like I was back. I hadn’t won. I hadn’t played that well, but like, I knew I was starting to come back and I could see the progression that was going on even while the scores weren’t exactly there.”
Despite the lack of a large crowd, Koepka articulated that the internal pressure he experienced at the event exceeded any prior experiences on the golf course. Ultimately, he emerged victorious at the 2022 LIV Golf Jeddah Invitational, marking his first worldwide win since the 2021 WM Phoenix Open.
The golfer also credited his success to his long-time caddie, Ricky Elliott, who has been a calming influence during tense moments on the course. Koepka conveyed, “If I get nervous, antsy, whatever it is, my pace picks up. That’s when Ricky’s like, yo, slow down, buddy, you’re gonna walk with me. And I’m like, OK, all right, cool. I got that. So I gotta slow my pace down, slow my stride down.”
In addition to his triumph in Saudi Arabia, Koepka went on to secure another victory at LIV’s Orlando event in April, followed by his fifth major win at the 2023 PGA Championship in May. Despite his competitive nature, Koepka stressed the importance of slowing down and appreciating the journey, a lesson imparted by his caddie.
To delve deeper into Koepka’s insights and learn about the player he would most enjoy playing with for the rest of his life, do not miss the full episode of The Scoop with Claire Rogers.
Jessica Marksbury, a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of female varsity golfers and a respected figure in the golfing community, provides valuable contributions to GOLF’s print and online features, and plays a pivotal role in spearheading major special projects. Her expertise and dedication to the sport have solidified her status as a leading authority in golf journalism.