U.S. Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker doesn’t expect the Brooks Koepka-Bryson DeChambeau feud to spill into the team room.
Stricker told Sports Illustrated that he has talked to both players individually, and they’ve told Stricker that they won’t have any issues when they become teammates next month at Whistling Straits.
“They assured me that the team and the country and everything else that goes into this is their [top priority],” Stricker told SI. “They said it’s not going to be an issue, and I believe them. I trust them. As far as I’m concerned, it’s been put to bed.”
That echoes what both Koepka and DeChambeau have said previously, that they can set aside their differences for the good of the red, white and blue. Though Koepka said he’d continue to take shots at DeChambeau if warranted, he added that he’d be a professional and do what’s best for Team USA.
“I can deal with anybody in the world for a week,” he said last month.
Despite a few opportunities, Koepka hasn’t reignited their beef at any point over the past few weeks. Stricker has noticed.
“We haven’t heard Brooks say anything about Bryson lately,” Stricker told SI. “This Ryder Cup means a lot to these guys. Neither one wants to be the root of a problem. They both understand.”
As for a potential partnership, Stricker doesn’t foresee a scenario when he’d put the two rivals together.
“I’m not going to tell you there’s no chance,” he told SI, “but I don’t see it happening, no. I don’t think they want to play together.”
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