LOS ANGELES – Brooks Koepka enjoys the chaos.
Don’t believe him? Just look at his major record for proof.
On an Erin Hills layout deemed too easy for a U.S. Open? He won.
What about Shinnecock Hills, the subject of much criticism for its perceived unfairness? He won there, too.
How about battling Tiger Woods at Bellerive, or fending off Dustin Johnson and the pro-DJ New York crowd at Bethpage, or silencing the naysayers and anti-LIV faction at Oak Hill? Win, win and win.
“The more chaotic things get, the easier it gets for me,” Koepka said.
Full-field tee times from U.S. Open
“Everything starts to slow down, and I am able to focus on whatever I need to focus on while everybody else is dealing with distractions, worried about other things.”
So, while other players appeared slightly uncomfortable, or at least cautious, in fielding – or in some cases not answering – the handful of questions about the recent PGA Tour-PIF deal, Koepka expressed no guilt for swiftly swatting those inquiries down during his pre-U.S. Open presser on Tuesday morning at Los Angeles Country Club.
Koepka was asked more than a half-dozen merger- or LIV-specific questions, and other than revealing that he ran into Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler at Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Florida, about 30 minutes after last week’s news broke, he made it clear that he’s here to win a third U.S. Open – and sixth major overall.
Nothing else matters.
“I’m not going to go into the future. I don’t have a crystal ball with me,” Koepka said. “I’m just worried about the U.S. Open. If I can get to No. 6 pretty quick, that would be nice.”
Now healthy and re-infused with that major-killing confidence after his Masters runner-up and PGA victory this year, Koepka doesn’t want to stop there, either.
Like Koepka said two weeks ago at the LIV event outside of Washington, D.C., he still has lofty major goals.
“Double digits, that’s what I’m trying to get to,” Koepka said. “I don’t think it’s out of the question for me.”
Based on his D.N.A., and his track record, it’s impossible to rule that out.
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