U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2022

June 14, 2022

Brooks Koepka

The Country Club

Press Conference

BROOKS KOEPKA: I just played nine, front. If that means anything.

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back. We are joined by 2017 and 2018 U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka. Brooks, how did it feel to be back at the U.S. Open? Talk about your front nine playing on the course so far.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah. It's always good to be back at the U.S. Open. You know it's going to be tough. I like that. I like scores that are somewhat around even par. It's going to be difficult. You have to drive the ball well.

Rough is pretty tough, and it's only going to get tougher because I'm sure they won't cut it.

Golf course is good. It's kind of weird; got a couple of blind shots, but other than that, it's a great golf course, fun golf course to play. So should be a good week.

Q. When you look back at winning back-to-back U.S. Open championships, obviously, it's rare. A few years removed, do you understand how tough that was to do, and just reflect on that a bit.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I know how tough it is. Yeah, it's cool.

My buddies were talking to me the other day. I mean, I've lost -- the last four U.S. Opens I've played I've lost to four people, which is pretty cool.

That's pretty special, but, yeah, I love this event. This event has always been good to me, so hopefully play well this week.

Q. Getting away from just the back-to-back wins for you at this tournament, what does it take to win the U.S. Open?

BROOKS KOEPKA: A lot of discipline. Whether that means laying up off tees, just to hit fairways, missing in the correct spots, not being suckered into any pin locations even though it might be a go yardage for you or anything like that. You've just got to be disciplined, stay kind of always in that moment.

You know you're going to make a bunch of bogeys, try not to make a double bogey. That's always been my big goal in majors is you never make a double bogey out here, you're doing all right. You get out of trouble, then get back in position. That's the key to U.S. Opens.

Q. Obviously, aside from the golf you played, congrats on your wedding. This is your first major tournament back since that. Is that kind of a relief to have that behind you and to be back focusing on golf entirely and maybe not planning that out?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Jenna did all the planning for that, so I just kind of -- I gave my opinion when necessary, but she did a hell of a job. Congrats to her on planning that because it was really cool. I know everybody that was part of it had a blast, as did we.

It's nice to be back playing. Anytime you can go play a major championship, I'm pretty excited, pretty locked in.

Q. How does it feel to come back to this tournament?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Like I said, I love it, man. It's a tough test. I don't like these 25-under where you have to shoot 60 every round just to compete. I like it when it's a battle. That's kind of more my style.

Q. A bit of an unknown, this golf course. Would you compare it to anything major championship-wise that you guys have played in?

BROOKS KOEPKA: It's kind of tough because I have only played nine. Maybe if I saw the back it might be a little bit easier to kind of compare it to another golf course, but it's a typical U.S. Open from what I've seen on just the front, but we'll see.

Q. How do you feel? Do you think you're close to 100%, 80%?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I feel good. I feel fine. Just excited to go play, go tee it up. It's a major.

Q. Brooks, I asked this at the PGA Championship - sorry to repeat myself - you've played once since the Masters. You got married. Have you played enough to be in form to win this week?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I've practiced enough. I haven't played tournament golf. Yeah, the only one was the PGA, but I can take time off and still come back and win.

It's not an issue. If I grind like I have, obviously the wedding week I didn't play or practice, but I got back into it right after. Rick came down. We spent four days at Medalist, four days with him at Medalist just grinding, making sure everything is where it needs to be. I like where my game is at.

Q. What do you think about when you know that only four players in the last four U.S. Opens have beaten you?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I wish it was less.

Q. You mentioned you played the front nine. Do you plan on getting out to the back nine, and what else is on the agenda before Thursday?

BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, today -- the same thing I do every major. Just play nine holes every day. I don't want to tire myself out. See enough of the golf course where you can kind of put all your attention into those nine holes because it is a long -- these practice rounds aren't exactly fun with three, three and a half hours, nine holes waiting for five minutes on every shot.

Just playing nine. I'll see the back later today. Probably play around noon or so.

Q. Brooks, is there a reason you've only played twice since the Match Play?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I've had a lot of other stuff going on, man. Sometimes, look, golf is great and all and I love it, but at the same time I've got other stuff I've got to do. The wedding was a big thing, but just taking care of my body, making sure I'm 100% right.

Like I said, the wedding was a big thing too, and now it's over with, and I can go and play golf.

Q. Chase played last week in the first LIV event. What do you make of the current landscape? It seems the two tours are fracturing the game at the top level.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Obviously, LIV is trying to make a big push for golf. Look, I mean, I love my brother. I support him in anything he does. It's family. I'll always love and support him. Whatever he does, I'm cheering for him.

Q. Why have you decided stay on the PGA TOUR, and is that a permanent decision?

BROOKS KOEPKA: There's been no other option to this point, so where else are you going to go?

Q. LIV.

BROOKS KOEPKA: As of last week. That's it. I wasn't playing last week. I'm here. I'm here at the U.S. Open. I'm ready to play U.S. Open, and I think it kind of sucks, too, you are all throwing this black cloud over the U.S. Open. It's one of my favorite events. I don't know why you guys keep doing that.

The more legs you give it, the more you keep talking about it.

Q. Sorry to ask another question about it, but not sorry enough not to do that. In some ways it seems like they're offering something that would appeal to you. You're a guy who really gets up for the majors, really loves the majors. At the moment it seems like it would be an opportunity to play less in between the majors and still play the majors. Is that attractive to you, or do you prefer your current setup?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I can come out here and play as little weeks as I want. I choose my own schedule regardless what tour I play.

I can come out here -- I haven't played. I've played, what, Match Play, Augusta, PGA and this one, so I can play as little as I want.

Q. Brooks, what do you expect from the Boston crowd this weekend? What's it like to be back in this area that loves golf, to compete on a massive tournament like this they haven't seen in a long time?

BROOKS KOEPKA: It's good. I love it up here. I have a bunch of my friends that are up here. I spent a bunch of time up in this area too. It's nice to be back.

I love Boston. It's one of the best sporting -- or arguably one of the best sporting towns in America. They're going to be loud, rowdy, and that's -- I seem to do all right when it's like that. In New York I do just fine. Played all right here. I love it, man.

Q. Did Chase say anything about his experience over there in London?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I haven't talked to him. I watched a little bit of it. We had it on when we were practicing, playing 18 holes. We had it on the phone. I was just listening for when I heard his name just to watch him and see how he is doing.

Q. Is there a figure at which you would swap tours? Does that exist? Is it as simple as that?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I haven't given it that much -- I haven't given it that much thought.

Q. Really?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I don't understand. I'm trying to focus on the U.S. Open, man. I legitimately don't get it. I'm tired of the conversations. I'm tired of all this stuff.

Like I said, y'all are throwing a black cloud on the U.S. Open. I think that sucks. I actually do feel bad for them for once because it's a shitty situation. We're here to play, and you are talking about an event that happened last week.

Q. Well, there's events that will be going on for the next foreseeable future.

BROOKS KOEPKA: I know, but you can't drive a car looking in the rearview mirror, can you?

Q. I wouldn't have thought so.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks, Brooks. Have a good one.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Thanks.