11 Years After His Breakthrough, Brooks Koepka Gets Critical About a Major Problem in Modern Golf: ‘They’ve Never Had to Deal With Adversity’

Not many golfers possess the same confidence as Brooks Koepka right now. The 33-year-old has been in a surreal form in the season’s most significant tournaments, having finished on the podium in both major championships.

With the US Open looming ahead, there could be more victories in store for the former world number one. But his latest press conference came across as over-confident for most, where many missed his take on his tough mentality.

Brooks Koepka reveals reasons for his mental strength

Having gone through many ups and downs in the past, Koepka knows a thing or two about rising from the ashes. His current season has been of those sorts, where a lean patch was followed by major championship hauls.

Read more: 2023 US Open: Prize Money Breakdown and Winners Payout

With two US Open titles under his belt, Koepka carries a convincing look ahead of this week’s competition. While his confidence will be key, so will his mental strength, which could tilt in his favor at the weekend.

But Koepka claimed that he was well-suited for the latter, something he disapproved of in the younger generation. “It’s funny. You know, a lot of these kids now got talent, and they think that they’ve never had to deal with adversity,” he said about the younger crop of golfers. “Actually, they haven’t put in the hard hours, hard time… it’s very easy right, play your courtesy card every week. Just stay in hotels, nice hotels… there’s [sic] a lot of things [these] guys have never had to deal with.”

How did Brooks Koepka fare against mental struggles earlier in his career?

The Florida resident made his PGA Tour debut back in 2012 and has since been a trailblazer on the tour. Koepka won four major championships before turning 30, which is the third-most major title of all time before reaching the age.

Yet, with the world at his feet, a knee injury changed his future forever. Hampered by constant niggles and an impatient recuperation, Koepka failed to play his best golf for a long time. His LIV Golf participation unleashed criticism from all quarters, which succumbed the golfer to an all-time low.

However, this season has been one of rejuvenation. Fit and firing once again, the former world number one secured his first win of the year at LIV Golf Orlando, following which he managed a second-place finish at the Masters Tournament.

The heartbreak in the final round fueled Koepka’s desire, which helped him to a much-deserved triumph at the 2023 PGA Championship. Can the five-time major winner carry his blazing form to the US Open? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Watch this story | Brooks Koepka gets a response from a PGA official for his Ryder Cup saga