Masters hopeful Brooks Koepka shuts down journalist with savage response to Augusta question
Brooks Koepka was in typical form during his pre-tournament press conference at this week’s Masters.
The five-time major champion was answering questions from the world's media ahead of golf's most prestigious event when he was asked one particularly silly question.
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One of the reporters in attendance asked Brooks about the possibility of shooting a round of 59 at Augusta this week.
The world No. 33-ranked golfer has a reputation for being short with the press and clearly wasn't feeling this particular journalist's poorly thought-out question.
Koepka shut him down with an especially savage response.
"It sounds like the course is already pretty dialed this week, but under softer or optimal scoring conditions do you think 59 is obtainable on this golf course?" the reporter asked.
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"Have you played here?" Koepka responded.
"Not yet," the journalist replied.
"I can tell by the question," the 33-year-old quipped.
It was an undoubtedly bizarre question by the reporter given the course record is 63.
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It's unclear why he thought Brooks or anyone else this week stands a good chance of breaking that record by four shots.
"What number is attainable in your mind? 63’s the low," the reporter followed up with.
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Koepka said: "I mean, now, anything’s attainable. But, yeah, if you want to go play the members tees and maybe play like 15 holes, yeah, I could do that."
During the press conference, the former US Open and PGA Championship winner also discussed what it means to be tied with Seve Ballesteros and Byron Nelson with five major titles.
"I know there’s 19 other people in front of me," he said.
"I do know that."
The Palm Beach County native also revealed why he tends to step up on the biggest occasions.
"It’s what I always dreamed of when I was a kid. When I was practicing at my dad’s course when I was younger it was always to win a major championship.
“Even today, that’s what I first see, that’s what I think you’re judged by, your legacy, what you’re defined by. I can tell you exactly how many Jack, Tiger, Arnold, Tom, all these guys, how many majors they won. It’s tough to tell how many events they won, but I know that there’s one surefire way to figure out who is who is by major championships.
"If you can’t get up for the biggest events, I think there’s something wrong with you.”
Koepka has had a decorated career as a major champion but is yet to win the coveted green jacket.
The LIV Golf captain has come close on two occasions with second-place finishes in 2019 and 2023.
He finished one stroke behind Tiger Woods in 2019 and four behind Jon Rahm in 2023.
Koepka has big tournament pedigree and will enter the 2024 Masters as one of the favourites.
He won back-to-back US Open titles in 2017 and 2018 before clinching consecutive PGA Championships in 2018 and 2019.
He won the PGA Championship for a third time at Oak Hill Country Club in New York last year.
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Koepka will be playing in group number 28 at this year's Masters with Brian Harman and Tom Kim.
The group has a first round tee time at 1:36pm (ET) on Thursday and 10:30am (ET) in the second round on Friday.
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