‘Five Majors In And I’m Still Not The Guy’ - Brooks Koepka On Being Underrated

Brooks Koepka believes he still doesn't get the respect he deserves despite becoming a five-time Major champion this year.

Koepka fell agonisingly short at the Masters in April, finishing runner-up to Jon Rahm having held the 36-hole lead, but bounced back in emphatic fashion to win the PGA Championship at Oak Hill by two shots.

His third PGA Championship title saw him claim his fifth Major championship, seeing him surpass the tally of Rory McIlroy and now only behind Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in terms of active players.

Despite his superb Major tally, which arguably makes him the best player of his generation, the American still believes he is left short-changed by people who follow the sport.

“I was never the guy at college and I’m not the guy out here," the 33-year-old said, speaking exclusively to Golf Monthly. "Five Majors in and I’m still not the guy. If other people had done what I’ve done, then everybody would anoint them.”

Prior to his resurgent year, Koepka endured a difficult 18 months as he battled a severe knee injury that eventually required surgery. In 2022, he went on to miss the cut at the Masters and the Open Championship, with his best performance a 55th-place finish at the US Open.

While many wrote Koepka off after his departure for LIV Golf in June of that year, the American proved the doubters wrong in style and credits his mentality for helping him return to his best.

“Honestly, I’m just built a little bit different," he says. 

"It’s just being mentally better. Look at Tiger [Woods], he was just mentally better than everybody else. If you know you can mentally beat everybody, and have more discipline, that plays a huge part. I know I will mentally outlast everybody, especially when it’s very difficult. 

"I’ll keep striking the ball consistently out of the middle, put it where I want it and then kind of wait my turn – and when that comes I’ll step on the gas.

“It’s all mental, there’s nothing physical that you can do. I enjoy the bigger stage, I enjoy the bigger crowds and the louder people get, the more I enjoy it and it’s easier for me.

"Everything else is kind of a practice session for those Majors. It’s not a front, it’s the whole reason that you tee it up, right? To be in contention with nine to play, within three on the back nine. I love competition and I love just trying to beat everybody."

Whilst many have suggested that Koepka's move to LIV Golf has freed him up to rediscover his best form, the American stresses that not much has changed. He may have recently become a father for the first time but his drive and routine remain as incessant and formulaic as ever.

“I’m still the same person as I was back then. Everyone has this big perception that I’m very serious, but behind closed doors, Pete Cowen gives me more crap than anybody,” says Koepka. 

“He’s always on top of me. Nothing’s ever good enough and he’s always dogging me, which I like. We all have a good time and get a good laugh out of each other. Everybody knows what I expect and I know what they expect of me and it’s very simple. We’re all very close and it feels like a family.

“I wouldn’t change anything as it’s working. I feel like I’m very close to where my peak is and everybody understands what the goal is and where the target is. We don’t have to move the goalposts a lot. I expect high standards of myself. I feel like I don’t work hard enough, but I probably work harder than 99.9 per cent of the guys out here.

"It’s all fun to me and, once the gun goes off, then it’s up to me if I can figure it out and win."