‘It Was Pretty Bad..’: Hours Before Teeing It Up at the PGA Championship, Brooks Koepka Blames Himself For $3,240,000 ‘Choke’

Last month’s Masters was truly a spectacle unlike any other. Millions of people tuned in to see if Brooks Koepka would be the golfer to bring a major trophy to the Saudi-backed LIV faction. After all, the 4-time major winner had been at the top of the leaderboard for most of the event.

But, a brilliant Jon Rahm soon edged past  Koepka to shatter his dreams of winning the coveted green jacket. Before he took the field at New York’s Oak Hill Country Club, the LIV golfer appeared on the Pardon My Take podcast to talk about his now-infamous Masters “choke.”

Brooks Koepka reflects on his Masters woes

In the past, Brooks Koepka has claimed four major titles. His first came in 2017 when the golfer won the U.S. Open title, a victory he successfully defended the next year. The 33-year-old also has two consecutive PGA Championship victories to his name.

But, the iconic green jacket has evaded the golfer so far. He came close to winning it last month, having a 54-shot lead over other golfers at Augusta. A final round 3-over 75, however, saw the golfer finish four shots behind the eventual winner, Jon Rahm. Appearing at the Pardon My Take podcast on Wednesday, the former World No. 1 shed light on his loss from April.

So, would Koepka term his Masters outcome as a choke? “Yeah, I’d characterize it as a choke,” he confessed to hosts Dan Katz and Eric Sollenberger. The LIV pro, who had a four-shot lead going into the event’s third round, said, “It was pretty bad. I mean, c’mon, you’ve got a four-shot lead. All you’ve got to do — I was playing good and just choked it away.” He eventually tied for the 2nd position on the leaderboard with fellow LIV compatriot, Phil Mickelson.

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During the Masters, another thing that Koepka took issue with was the alleged “slow play” at Augusta National.  Before teeing it up at the PGA Championship, Koepka once again addressed the issue, making his stance clear.

Brooks Koepka’s strong message against slow-play

Last month, PGA Tour’s Patrick Cantlay and Viktor Hovland were two players who had to bear the wrath of golf fans due to the alleged slow pace of play. Brooks Koepka was also one of the most outspoken critics during the entire fiasco. Following widespread criticism, World No. 4 Cantlay later defended himself against the claims.

Before the 2023 PGA Championship kicked off, Koepka addressed the issue once again at the pre-tournament press conference. “Technically, in the rule book, it says you have 40 seconds to hit your shot.” he said. “If you are taking over, technically you’re breaking the rules, right?”

The 105th edition of the event kicked off on Thursday after nearly a two-hour frost at the Oak Hill Country Club. LIV’s Bryson DeChambeau is currently on the top of the leaderboard after he carded a 4-under 66 in his first round. Koepka, meanwhile, had a disappointing start at the event, posting a 2-over 72 in his opening round.

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Can Brooks Koepka win his 3rd PGA Championship title this year? Who are you rooting for to win the Wanamaker Trophy? Let us know in the comments!