KOEPKA READY TO ADD TO HIS LEGACY AT THE RYDER CUP
Golf’s greatest players build their legacies at the majors. Brooks Koepka knows that as well as anyone – and having won his fifth career major this year at the PGA Championship, he’s pretty much guaranteed legend status.
But Koepka believes legacies can also be built at the Ryder Cup. This weekend at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, he has the opportunity to add to that section of his résumé as a member of the U.S. team seeking its first win in Europe in 30 years.
“I think everybody remembers their record,” Koepka said last week at LIV Golf Chicago, his final start before jetting to Rome to join his American teammates. “That’s kind of what you’re known by – wins, losses. [Ian] Poulter have pretty much made a career on that.”
Indeed. While Poulter has yet to win a major, his career is defined by his performances for Europe, with a 15-8-2 record. His nickname “The Postman” reflects his ability to deliver in the Ryder Cup, with Europe winning five times in Poulter’s seven appearances.
Koepka will take a 6-5-1 career Ryder Cup record into Rome, which puts him just above .500. But the most impressive aspect of his record is that he hasn’t lost a singles match in his three previous appearances, with a 2-0-1 mark.
Not surprising, his approach to the Ryder Cup is similar to a major. Be prepared – and be confident. It’s why he’ll gladly embrace the pressure of winning a point for his team, especially in a potentially hostile environment that the visiting team often encounters.
“Other than the Ryder Cup, I think the most pressure you can feel is in a major,” Koepka said Wednesday in Rome. “Yeah, guys should believe in themselves, but everybody else has got to be thinking that they don't. That's why I think that way. You've got to think you're the best player on the golf course, best player on the team, best player in that current time, and if you don't, then there's something wrong with you.
“You've always got to believe you're the best and want to be the best and have that drive, and that's what's going to put you over the edge. I think a lot of guys have it, but I don't know how many guys would want an 8-footer with this on the line.”
When Koepka made his first Ryder Cup appearance in 2016 at Hazeltine, he had not yet broken through with his first major victory. A tie for fourth at the PGA Championship that year was his fourth top 10 in his last 10 major starts at that point, and it helped him make the team on points.
He was 26 years old then, the third youngest player on the team behind Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed.
This week, at age 33, he’s the third oldest player in the American lineup behind Ryder Cup rookie Brian Harman (36) and Rickie Fowler (34). Whether directly or implied, that means more of a leadership role.
Even so, Koepka says there is a different feeling about this team versus previous years. He points to the age span between the oldest and youngest players – 10 years. In 2018, the span was 13 years. In 2016 and 2018, it was 23 years.
“Definitely a different atmosphere than in years past,” Koepka said. “Everybody has got a lot more in common, too, being in pretty much the same age group. …
“I think this is probably the youngest team I think I've been on, and we've all pretty much played junior golf together growing up, so it's probably the tightest group of guys that we've had. It'll be interesting to see how it goes this week.”
This Ryder Cup is, of course, the first one played since last year’s launch of LIV Golf, with Koepka eventually joining as the Smash GC captain. It’s also the first one since Koepka became a father two months ago.
He’s gone through some significant life changes, as well as successfully returning from injuries that threatened to derail his career. None of those things will matter in Rome. His focus will be entirely on one thing – trying to knock off the Europeans.
“It's a workweek, so everything stays the same for me,” Koepka said. “Nothing changes, whether it's a major, whether it's a regular event or whether Ryder Cup. Everything is still the same. Routine is still the same. I'm ready to go. It's a big event, so I'll be there.”
Big events build legacies. Koepka is eager to add the next layer this week.
Photo credit: Andrew Medichini/Associated Press/AP Images