February 5, 2019 • 20 mins
With 3 major championship victories under belt...including 2 in 2018...and currently ranked 2nd in the Wold Golf Rankings...we talk to the defending PGA Championship champ Brooks Koepka. He's poised to have another AMAZING year in 2019! We talk to him about his victories...his preparation...and get his take on the new rules for 2019. He's also fresh back from playing in Saudi Arabia...and he gives us his first hand opinion of what happened with Sergio Garcia and his subsequent DQ from that event. It's great to talk to Brooks Koepka!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Playing Thrill with Froggy and Whacker. It's another addition of
the Playing Through podcast. Thank you so much for listening
at Froggy Radio on Twitter and Instagram, at Brian Whacker
one on Instagram and Twitter as well, or hit us
up on the podcast. It's at play through Golf on Twitter.
So today's episode, we're going to talk to three time
(00:26):
major champion winner Brooks. Captain now Brian who's actually here
what we're getting ready to post this? It was actually
not able to be here. Whacker wasn't here we were
doing the interview because he's got lots of assignments from
Golf Digestion. That's right, the day job calls sometimes, so
was actually tied up. So, Froggy, you took the tough
task of sitting down with the three time major winner
(00:48):
and world number two and winner of two of the
last three major championships of course, including the p G
A Championship which as we all know, moves from August
now to May this year at Bethpage Black, So Brooks
will be You're defending champion there and a golf course
really that should suit him very well. Um, he has not.
(01:08):
He's only played there once. The US Open, of course
was there twice back in two thousand two and then
two thousand nine, and then of course the PGA Tour
FedEx Cup event, the Barclays now the Northern Trust was
played there in two thousand twelve and two thousand sixteen,
I believe, and so Brooks I believe only played there
(01:30):
in two thousands sixteen. Right. But but again a golf course, big,
big ballpark, a place that should suit a guy with
his skill set. I mean, look, you look at his
major championships. Here's what's interesting to me is that he's
won on three very different venues. Aaron Hills with fairways
that were seventy eight you know, yards wide and played
(01:53):
very soft and very talkable. And then Shannicock, which he
showed a lot of nuance and a lot of different
skills in winning there. And then of course Bell Reeve,
which was sort of an odd just a quirky golf course,
is kind of the way I would I would really
put it, but he bludgeoned it. And um. The thing
that impressed me about bell Reeve, by the way, it
(02:13):
was a lot of people talked about non hitting driver
that week and in three Woods and long Irons and
so forth, and and he just went and played his
golf in what he thought would work best, and it did.
The overpowered I mean, when you when you drive it
as far and then as straight as he did that week,
you know, there aren't really many golf courses that are
not going to work out well for him, and of
(02:35):
course his wedge play and then of course his putting
as well. So uh, an impressive year last year for books,
the PGA Tour Player of the Year last year. I
know he'll be honored um by the Golf Reters Association
as well for that honor as the as the Male
Player of the Year at our upcoming annual awards dinner. Uh,
for the g w A during the week the Master,
(02:56):
so uh, he will be honored for that of course,
well deserved. Two time major winner last year. Um didn't
win anything else, but really, let's be honest, as as
as I think it was JT. Justin Thomas at one
point tweeted, you know when there was sort of some debate,
of of course, when Molinari, Francisco Molinari had his great
run in the Ryder Cup and had a really good
year obviously winning the Open championship, there's some question or
(03:19):
you know, I thought being thrown around that like, oh well,
you know, could somebody else unsee him as playing the year? Really? No, no,
you win two majors. I'm sorry, I don't. You don't
need to win anything. And by the way, it's not
like he played poorly the rest of the year. And
he also missed the first a few months of the seasons,
miss the Masters as well. So he went two of
the three majors he played in, which is pretty damn good.
(03:40):
So on three of the last six that he's played
in as well. Right, so you have a chance to
sit down with the three time major champion and let's
go to that now. All right, we're here with Brooks
capta three time major champion. Brooks, thank you so much
for taking the time to come on the podcast. I
know you're talking about the PGA Championship coming up at
Bethpage Black, but let's go back and talk about Aaron Hills, Shinnecock,
(04:03):
Belle Reeve. What does it mean to be a three
time major champion on the PGA Tour at such a
young age. It's incredible. You look at um, you know,
the guys that have won three majors. I mean it's
a short list. Um yeah, and it's incredible to add
my name to that. Um, you know, hopefully build on that,
and you know, when you get to four, it's a
it's a whole lot shorter. I mean, even when you
talk about guys that have won the US Open in
(04:26):
the PGA Championship in the same year, you're in the
list with only four other guys. You're talking Tiger, Jack Hogan,
and Gene Saraz And I mean you are in a
list of those four names, the only guys to win
a US Open and a PGA Championship in the same year.
And last year you only played three of the majors.
You've won three of your last six. I mean, that
(04:47):
really is unheard of. We haven't seen a run like
that since. I know Rory had his little run for
a little while, Tiger had his run, But I mean
it really has to be special to play and peak
at those certain times of the year. Do you mind
playing your schedule so that you do peek at the
right time. Yeah. I think it's all about planning and
the preparation you put in. Um, you know, we tried
(05:08):
to play the week before the majors. Um. You know,
the Major's kind of have a different different atmosphere UM.
On the golf course obviously, but off the golf course too,
it's got a little different feel. It kind of take
a little bit more um, more serious, more importance, UM.
And it's it's fun. I enjoyed that, and I enjoyed
get on the big stage and playing. And I think
that's that's what I thrive off of. Going back to
(05:29):
last year at at at bell Read, did you ever,
you know, growing up as a kid and playing golf
and you're playing with your friends, and you're playing on
your own and as you're playing collegiately, did you ever
think to yourself that one day you would beat Tiger
Woods in a major championship on the PGA Tour. That's
(05:49):
kind of funny when you put it that way. I
never really looked at it like that. Um. Yeah, I
mean I dreamed of it. I don't know if I
ever thought it might come true, right, I mean, I
mean it really came down to you and Tiger, I
mean pound for pound. And he said when it was over,
he said, I didn't play bad, but there was absolutely
nothing I could do. Brooks was pounding the ball down
the middle, hitting amazing shots. Uh the I mean the
(06:10):
shots hit on seventeen and eighteen. I mean, just unbelievable
to know that you could stand tote toe? Did you
know where Tiger was as you're coming down and playing
those last two holes? Had you looked at the leaderboard
and your caddie told you did you know where you stood? Oh? Yeah,
I know where I stood. I would look at the
leaderboards all the time. I think it's kind of fun
to watch him, uh see where you stand and and
try to put some pressure on guys. Um. I mean
(06:33):
it's hard not to know where he's at. I mean
you can hear the roars, you can hear the fans. Um.
You know what he does before anybody else does. UM.
It's kind of got that Augusta national feel um with
the roars. You know what's exactly, who it came from,
where it is, um, and and what's going on and
you just can't let it get to you. He's gotta
(06:53):
keep doing your thing and you try to make your
own little roar back and hopefully here's it. I mean,
it's it's funny because you laugh if you're watching UM.
You know you're kind of watching what he does because
he's playing the group in front, and I mean there's
ten times more people watching him than they are watching
me and Scotty in the back. You know, it's funny.
Are you affected by the crowds like you've you've played
(07:14):
with Tiger I'm sure. Uh, And you've played in the
group before him or the group behind him, and then
you played not around him at all. Do the crowds
affect you more when you're playing with him or when
you're playing stay right in front of or behind him?
It doesn't bother me when I'm playing with him. Um,
I enjoy it. I enjoyed it. I mean, obviously they're
all there to cheer on him, and they could care
less how I do. Um, you know, as as I should,
(07:37):
because if I was Cornell Golf tournament to watch, um,
I'd be there to watch him. So I get it. Um,
you know I'm understanding of that. I think probably the
toughest place to play is right in front of him,
and that's that's quite difficult because you've got all these
fans that are trying to run up in front and
get a good spot so they can watch um being
the shot come in or or the tea box, and
(07:58):
they're always moving, trying to trying to get in position.
So that's kind of the toughest place to play when
he's around. With the PGA Championship being at Bethpage Black.
Have you played Bethpage Black? But I know you've played
it once in a tournament round, But have you played
at other times? No, I've just played it. Um. You know,
we have the FedEx Cup UM playoffs there in sixteen,
(08:20):
so it's been um, you know, it'll be just almost
three years since I've seen it, and you know, hopefully
get up here. Um, I don't know when when, whenever
the schedule allows um to him up and check it
out again and get a good game plan and figure
out where where we think we can take advantage of
some places. But I mean, it'd be different playing it
in May, and the golf course should be a lot
(08:41):
different than we played it I think in August. And
with all the rule changes that have gone on this year,
there's so much talk about, you know, many different rule changes.
Are you Are you a guy that will never play
with the flagstick in Do you like the flagstick in role?
And would you use it? Do you think it's an advantage.
I mean, I guess the do you say that it
is an advantage? Um? I used it in Hawaii. I
(09:03):
think we were in Um we're in last place. So
I was like, wow, this is probably pretty close to it.
I was like, it's a good time to experiment. But
I don't like it. And I mean I've I've played
golf for twenty some years now with the pin out
and I've got accustomed to looking at the hole without it,
so it's kind of a it's a different look and
I'm not I'm not a big fan of it, but
(09:23):
I mean, some of the rule changes are nice. Um,
some of them are a bit absurd. Though. What do
you think about the drop roll? I mean me personally,
I think you should be able to drop it from
shoulder high anywhere from shoulder to knee hiked because for
a tall guy like you're a tall guy, I don't
know if your hands go all the way down to
your knee, you'd have to like kneel awkwardly. It just
looks weird. Um, where are you on the drop roll? Yeah,
(09:44):
I wouldn't consider myself a tall especially after the last
day been around some of these NBA guys feel quite tiny.
But it's um, I just think you should place it.
Uh that's I mean. If I'm home, UM and I
hit when I the hazard, I'm placing it, dropping the
ball in the ground, rolling it with the club, putting
it on a good lie. So you know, I think
(10:06):
if they want to speed up the speed up the
piece of play, I think that's, um, why not just
place it. They're worried about the ball rolling. Um, you know,
two club lace outside of where you drop it, and
it's easy. It's not gonna roll if you place it.
Did you watch Did you watch any of the waste
management this past weekend with Ricky? I did not. I
was on a plane flight back from Saudi Arabia, so
(10:28):
I did not. I did not get a chance to
see any of it. I don't know if you've heard so.
At one point he hits one in the hazard. Uh
he uh, he was one. He was two in the hazard,
ball rolled in. He then drops his third drops his
third ball is technically in play, he has not hit it.
He goes to walk up on the green to see
how much room there is between the pen and the bunker.
And as he's standing on the green to look the
(10:49):
ball rolls back into the water. Technically that ball is
in play, it's back in the hazard and it's another stroke. Yeah, yeah,
I did. I did happen to see that. Um, it's crazy. Um,
you know, something had to make that ball move, whether
it be the rain. Um, you know, it was obviously
still at one point, and so something calls it to move.
(11:09):
I mean it's it's just bad luck and unfortunate timing, ums,
all that is. I mean, I'm glad he was able
to pull it out and not let that bother him
and and you know pull out a w because um,
you know, he's super nice guy. Um, everyone loves him
and you know we're all happy for him. Yeah, it
was cool to see him get the victory after, you know,
after that happened. He had a double a couple holes
(11:30):
before that. But speaking of Saudia Rain, you were there,
were you were around any of the sire Joe Garcia
mess I did happen? I mean, obviously I saw him
in the locker room. I had no idea I played
in front of him. Um, I think two groups in
front of him on Saturday, and uh I saw him
in the locker room. I didn't know what was going
(11:51):
on at the time. I was, I just gotten done,
grabbed lunch and came in and UM saw him Clinton
on his locker. Didn't really think anything of it. Um,
but yeah, it's h ah. It's frustrating as a player
to see, you know, to act like that. Um. You know,
the disrespect to everybody, to act like a child out
(12:12):
there is not Um, it's not cool. It's not send
a good example. And UM, you know it's not cool
to us, you know, showing us no respect or anybody else. Yeah,
I mean the guys playing behind him didn't have to
put on those greens. I saw the there there is
a video. Um, I've seen him in the bunker the
day before when he had a meltdown in the bunker,
and then uh, the green damages were the next day.
(12:34):
And I haven't seen any of the green damages, but
they said that other players did experience some problems putting
on the green because Sergio had gotten upset. I don't
know if he wasn't playing well. I don't know if
he didn't like the golf course where the golf course
condition is not good, or is it just a simple
fact that he just wasn't playing well. I mean, Dustin
didn't have a problem with it. Nothing. Yeah, Dustin didn't
(12:54):
have a problem with it not. You know, Um, you
know that's just Sergio acting like a child. I mean,
it's unfortunate. Um, you know that he's got to do
that and um and complaint. Everybody's gotta play the same
golf course, so you know what I mean. I didn't
play very good, but you don't see anybody. You didn't
really see anybody else doing that. And I mean, you're
forty years old, so you gotta grow up eventually. Speaking
(13:16):
of the trippy we're on, I would be a negligent
to our listeners if I did not ask about the
fabulous vacation that you took with Dustin, Paulina and Jenna
to the Maldives. And at some point somebody talked to
you into putting on a thong and posting it on Instagram.
I must know whose idea was this. I didn't post it.
(13:38):
For the record, I didn't Jenna post said that. Um yeah,
I don't know, man, I'd just like to have a
good time. We're on vacation trying to make people laugh,
and uh, you know, they were all kind of inside
and I brought. I brought a couple of different pairs, um,
and I felt that purple was the way to go
at that point. So, UM know, I brought a speedo
(14:00):
and a thong and I thought the thong would get
everybody laughing and um, you know, kind of lightening up.
I think it was only the second day we were there,
so um you know I was. I definitely thought I
was an Instagram model at that point. So I didn't
see the final results of the poll. Did you win?
Who who wore it better? Or did Jenna win? I'm
gonna take a guess that Jenna one that I didn't
(14:21):
see the results. Yeah, I think, I hope so because
I saw the picture, I hope I didn't know. Good deal,
Well Brooks, thank you so much, man, best to luck
to you this year. I know we've got the Masters
coming up. We got the players coming up first, with
the big schedule changes. Uh what do you think of
the schedule changes? The players being up front, and then
the and then with the Major's being moved around, We've
(14:41):
got one a month that you're a fan of all
the changes that they've made. I love it. I think
it's great. I think, um you know it gives us
a little more time off. I mean, it is and
all your sport. But you know, if you get hot
for three months from you know, the middle of March
till you know, in June, I mean you could rattle
off four majors and a players. I mean, I think
(15:02):
that's that's fun. Um. You know, if you get hot
at the right time, you're gonna see some good golf,
and guys are gonna be have a real good chance
it winning all four UM. And I think going forward
it will be it'll shorten the season for us, which
is nice. Um. You know, really get us focused in.
You know, you have your time off with your family
or whatnot, and and then come back to work and
(15:22):
you just grind it off for those four months. And
I think it could be very very exciting. As a fan,
I'd be excited to watch. Yeah, I like some of
the changes. Now I know you're in New York. Now
you'll be headed back to Florida because that's home. Where
will we see you again on the tour? Um playing
again in two weeks in Mexico. Mexico would be the
first time. And then I'm gonna play uh in the
Honda UM, which would be nice hometown events live there now,
(15:45):
so it's always it's always fun to play that event.
I enjoy it, you know, and get a bunch of friends, family,
getting everybody out, and then then UH Bay Hill and
then players, so right off four in a row there,
which is not something I do very often, but I'm
excited about. I mean, it's Florida or to swing o
the grass, um, you know, so I'm comfortable with and
in a week home doesn't really feel like a week
on the road, right exactly. Speaking of plan in Florida,
(16:08):
I don't know if you also saw for the weekend
UH Tiger Woods and Jack Uh played with President Trump
at Trump Jupiter. If an invitation and maybe it has
been and I'm not aware of, if an invitation was
extended to you from our president to play golf with them,
would you do it? Yeah, Yeah, it's been extended a
couple of times. He's canceled on me once, Um, he
had something come up, and I've canceled on him a
(16:29):
couple of times. I've had something to come up, so
it hasn't worked out unfortunately. You know, I'm looking forward
to playing golf with them. I'm sure we will at
some point. So hopefully in the next um, you know,
coming months, we can we can finally figure out the
time that works for both of us and can get
in there and play some golf. Good deal, that would
be awesome. Well, congratulations Brooks. Three major championships. Hope you
(16:50):
add to it this year. If you'd like to get
to the p G A Championship at Bethpage Black just
outside of New York, go to PG eight dot com,
slash tickets get your take us for all the informations
p G A Championship dot com. Brooks, thank you so
much for your time. It really appreciate it. Congratulations on
your three major championships and good luck this year. Thanks.
I appreciate it all. Right, there you have it, Brooks
(17:11):
kapta three time major champions sounds like he's ready to
have a good season. And uh, some interesting takes there
from him on Sergio Garcia and his behavior in Saudi Arabia. Yeah,
I didn't hold back there, which was fascinating. And look,
Brooks is is uh we all know, has never really
been one to mince words or not share his opinion.
I agree with him, by the way, I agree with it.
(17:31):
There's absolutely no place for somebody to act. I mean,
that's like the way you see a twelve year old
act when he's trying to learn how to play golf. You,
I mean, you've seen in the video from the bunker
the day before. I mean you would think if you act,
if you acted that way the day before that, the
next day, you would have said, hey, I can't act
that way again. Whether it's your sponsors, or whether it's
your family that you're representing on yourself or whatever it is.
(17:54):
But then to go back out there the next day
and destroy what we've all heard to be two three,
four are five greens. I mean, I don't know what
he did on the greens. I haven't seen any videos,
but what I saw in that bunker is enough to
tell me that something else is going on with Sergio. Yeah,
and look, we don't know if there are other things
going on in his world that maybe affected his mood
(18:15):
or attitude, but either way, Look, he's forty years old,
he's major champion, he's a father, but he's got a
long history of temper tantrums. Well, it's not the first
time we've seen this from Sergio. We got upset at
the players that one years Tiger, but he said Tiger
pulled a three one out of his bag while he
was hitting. Well, look, that's one thing. But you know
we've seen him spitting the cup before, um, which is
(18:35):
really deplorable in my opinion. Um, and look, you apologize
for it. Um. This is a guy who just he
lets his emotions take over sometimes and you would like
to see that not happen. I'm sure, Look, you apologized
for it. I'm a little surprised the European Tour didn't
take a little tougher action. Well. Yeah, I mean you
have to do something. It's it's a tricky balance for
(18:57):
them because certainly they don't want to lose a big star, uh,
for a tour that, let's face it, the second fiddle
to the PGA tour. But at the same time, you know,
you really, look, it was a rough week for the
European Tour between playing in Saudi Arabia to begin with,
UM and then the Sergio Garcia incident. You you just
can't let that stuff go by, and and um, you know,
(19:18):
good for Brooks though, for for actually saying something, speaking
and speaking his mind and and sharing that opinion and
being open and honest about it. And and again this
is a guy who, um, you know, has been a
bit polarizing over the last year. But but I give
him all the credit. And look, look, you certainly can't
question his golf. One of the best players in the world,
number two in the world at the moment, three time
(19:41):
major winner, as we've mentioned, in speaking his mind on
a what a lot of people would view as maybe
a sensitive topic or or something they really wouldn't want
to get into. So I give him a lot of
credit for for just um doing that, and I would
agree with him his stance that you just can't let
that sort of stuff happen and when or twelve, never
(20:02):
mind forty and and a major champion. But this, again,
this is the guy Sergio, who has had a history
of letting his emotions get in the way and doing
some things that, um, you know, some regrettable things. Really
all right, and I listen, I know there may be
some things going on behind the scenes. I don't know
that there are, but there could be. But either way,
it doesn't make it okay to act that way. Uh.
(20:22):
If there's some things going on that you need to
handle off the golf course, then take some time off
and handle those things and then get back at it.
It's definitely not a way to represent yourself or the
European Tour out in public or the game of golf.
And um, thanks again for Brooks Kepka for joining us
for this. I think, um, that was good stuff from him, really,
he really was. He's good. He's good. So thanks, thank you, Brooks.
(20:44):
Appreciate it. Thank you so much for listening to the
Plan Through podcast. Hey, it's Brooks Kepka and you're listening
to the Playing Through podcast.
Playing Thrill with Froggy and Whacker. It's another addition of
the Playing Through podcast. Thank you so much for listening
at Froggy Radio on Twitter and Instagram, at Brian Whacker
one on Instagram and Twitter as well, or hit us
up on the podcast. It's at play through Golf on Twitter.
So today's episode, we're going to talk to three time
(00:26):
major champion winner Brooks. Captain now Brian who's actually here
what we're getting ready to post this? It was actually
not able to be here. Whacker wasn't here we were
doing the interview because he's got lots of assignments from
Golf Digestion. That's right, the day job calls sometimes, so
was actually tied up. So, Froggy, you took the tough
task of sitting down with the three time major winner
(00:48):
and world number two and winner of two of the
last three major championships of course, including the p G
A Championship which as we all know, moves from August
now to May this year at Bethpage Black, So Brooks
will be You're defending champion there and a golf course
really that should suit him very well. Um, he has not.
(01:08):
He's only played there once. The US Open, of course
was there twice back in two thousand two and then
two thousand nine, and then of course the PGA Tour
FedEx Cup event, the Barclays now the Northern Trust was
played there in two thousand twelve and two thousand sixteen,
I believe, and so Brooks I believe only played there
(01:30):
in two thousands sixteen. Right. But but again a golf course, big,
big ballpark, a place that should suit a guy with
his skill set. I mean, look, you look at his
major championships. Here's what's interesting to me is that he's
won on three very different venues. Aaron Hills with fairways
that were seventy eight you know, yards wide and played
(01:53):
very soft and very talkable. And then Shannicock, which he
showed a lot of nuance and a lot of different
skills in winning there. And then of course Bell Reeve,
which was sort of an odd just a quirky golf course,
is kind of the way I would I would really
put it, but he bludgeoned it. And um. The thing
that impressed me about bell Reeve, by the way, it
(02:13):
was a lot of people talked about non hitting driver
that week and in three Woods and long Irons and
so forth, and and he just went and played his
golf in what he thought would work best, and it did.
The overpowered I mean, when you when you drive it
as far and then as straight as he did that week,
you know, there aren't really many golf courses that are
not going to work out well for him, and of
(02:35):
course his wedge play and then of course his putting
as well. So uh, an impressive year last year for books,
the PGA Tour Player of the Year last year. I
know he'll be honored um by the Golf Reters Association
as well for that honor as the as the Male
Player of the Year at our upcoming annual awards dinner. Uh,
for the g w A during the week the Master,
(02:56):
so uh, he will be honored for that of course,
well deserved. Two time major winner last year. Um didn't
win anything else, but really, let's be honest, as as
as I think it was JT. Justin Thomas at one
point tweeted, you know when there was sort of some debate,
of of course, when Molinari, Francisco Molinari had his great
run in the Ryder Cup and had a really good
year obviously winning the Open championship, there's some question or
(03:19):
you know, I thought being thrown around that like, oh well,
you know, could somebody else unsee him as playing the year? Really? No, no,
you win two majors. I'm sorry, I don't. You don't
need to win anything. And by the way, it's not
like he played poorly the rest of the year. And
he also missed the first a few months of the seasons,
miss the Masters as well. So he went two of
the three majors he played in, which is pretty damn good.
(03:40):
So on three of the last six that he's played
in as well. Right, so you have a chance to
sit down with the three time major champion and let's
go to that now. All right, we're here with Brooks
capta three time major champion. Brooks, thank you so much
for taking the time to come on the podcast. I
know you're talking about the PGA Championship coming up at
Bethpage Black, but let's go back and talk about Aaron Hills, Shinnecock,
(04:03):
Belle Reeve. What does it mean to be a three
time major champion on the PGA Tour at such a
young age. It's incredible. You look at um, you know,
the guys that have won three majors. I mean it's
a short list. Um yeah, and it's incredible to add
my name to that. Um, you know, hopefully build on that,
and you know, when you get to four, it's a
it's a whole lot shorter. I mean, even when you
talk about guys that have won the US Open in
(04:26):
the PGA Championship in the same year, you're in the
list with only four other guys. You're talking Tiger, Jack Hogan,
and Gene Saraz And I mean you are in a
list of those four names, the only guys to win
a US Open and a PGA Championship in the same year.
And last year you only played three of the majors.
You've won three of your last six. I mean, that
(04:47):
really is unheard of. We haven't seen a run like
that since. I know Rory had his little run for
a little while, Tiger had his run, But I mean
it really has to be special to play and peak
at those certain times of the year. Do you mind
playing your schedule so that you do peek at the
right time. Yeah. I think it's all about planning and
the preparation you put in. Um, you know, we tried
(05:08):
to play the week before the majors. Um. You know,
the Major's kind of have a different different atmosphere UM.
On the golf course obviously, but off the golf course too,
it's got a little different feel. It kind of take
a little bit more um, more serious, more importance, UM.
And it's it's fun. I enjoyed that, and I enjoyed
get on the big stage and playing. And I think
that's that's what I thrive off of. Going back to
(05:29):
last year at at at bell Read, did you ever,
you know, growing up as a kid and playing golf
and you're playing with your friends, and you're playing on
your own and as you're playing collegiately, did you ever
think to yourself that one day you would beat Tiger
Woods in a major championship on the PGA Tour. That's
(05:49):
kind of funny when you put it that way. I
never really looked at it like that. Um. Yeah, I
mean I dreamed of it. I don't know if I
ever thought it might come true, right, I mean, I
mean it really came down to you and Tiger, I
mean pound for pound. And he said when it was over,
he said, I didn't play bad, but there was absolutely
nothing I could do. Brooks was pounding the ball down
the middle, hitting amazing shots. Uh the I mean the
(06:10):
shots hit on seventeen and eighteen. I mean, just unbelievable
to know that you could stand tote toe? Did you
know where Tiger was as you're coming down and playing
those last two holes? Had you looked at the leaderboard
and your caddie told you did you know where you stood? Oh? Yeah,
I know where I stood. I would look at the
leaderboards all the time. I think it's kind of fun
to watch him, uh see where you stand and and
try to put some pressure on guys. Um. I mean
(06:33):
it's hard not to know where he's at. I mean
you can hear the roars, you can hear the fans. Um.
You know what he does before anybody else does. UM.
It's kind of got that Augusta national feel um with
the roars. You know what's exactly, who it came from,
where it is, um, and and what's going on and
you just can't let it get to you. He's gotta
(06:53):
keep doing your thing and you try to make your
own little roar back and hopefully here's it. I mean,
it's it's funny because you laugh if you're watching UM.
You know you're kind of watching what he does because
he's playing the group in front, and I mean there's
ten times more people watching him than they are watching
me and Scotty in the back. You know, it's funny.
Are you affected by the crowds like you've you've played
(07:14):
with Tiger I'm sure. Uh, And you've played in the
group before him or the group behind him, and then
you played not around him at all. Do the crowds
affect you more when you're playing with him or when
you're playing stay right in front of or behind him?
It doesn't bother me when I'm playing with him. Um,
I enjoy it. I enjoyed it. I mean, obviously they're
all there to cheer on him, and they could care
less how I do. Um, you know, as as I should,
(07:37):
because if I was Cornell Golf tournament to watch, um,
I'd be there to watch him. So I get it. Um,
you know I'm understanding of that. I think probably the
toughest place to play is right in front of him,
and that's that's quite difficult because you've got all these
fans that are trying to run up in front and
get a good spot so they can watch um being
the shot come in or or the tea box, and
(07:58):
they're always moving, trying to trying to get in position.
So that's kind of the toughest place to play when
he's around. With the PGA Championship being at Bethpage Black.
Have you played Bethpage Black? But I know you've played
it once in a tournament round, But have you played
at other times? No, I've just played it. Um. You know,
we have the FedEx Cup UM playoffs there in sixteen,
(08:20):
so it's been um, you know, it'll be just almost
three years since I've seen it, and you know, hopefully
get up here. Um, I don't know when when, whenever
the schedule allows um to him up and check it
out again and get a good game plan and figure
out where where we think we can take advantage of
some places. But I mean, it'd be different playing it
in May, and the golf course should be a lot
(08:41):
different than we played it I think in August. And
with all the rule changes that have gone on this year,
there's so much talk about, you know, many different rule changes.
Are you Are you a guy that will never play
with the flagstick in Do you like the flagstick in role?
And would you use it? Do you think it's an advantage.
I mean, I guess the do you say that it
is an advantage? Um? I used it in Hawaii. I
(09:03):
think we were in Um we're in last place. So
I was like, wow, this is probably pretty close to it.
I was like, it's a good time to experiment. But
I don't like it. And I mean I've I've played
golf for twenty some years now with the pin out
and I've got accustomed to looking at the hole without it,
so it's kind of a it's a different look and
I'm not I'm not a big fan of it, but
(09:23):
I mean, some of the rule changes are nice. Um,
some of them are a bit absurd. Though. What do
you think about the drop roll? I mean me personally,
I think you should be able to drop it from
shoulder high anywhere from shoulder to knee hiked because for
a tall guy like you're a tall guy, I don't
know if your hands go all the way down to
your knee, you'd have to like kneel awkwardly. It just
looks weird. Um, where are you on the drop roll? Yeah,
(09:44):
I wouldn't consider myself a tall especially after the last
day been around some of these NBA guys feel quite tiny.
But it's um, I just think you should place it.
Uh that's I mean. If I'm home, UM and I
hit when I the hazard, I'm placing it, dropping the
ball in the ground, rolling it with the club, putting
it on a good lie. So you know, I think
(10:06):
if they want to speed up the speed up the
piece of play, I think that's, um, why not just
place it. They're worried about the ball rolling. Um, you know,
two club lace outside of where you drop it, and
it's easy. It's not gonna roll if you place it.
Did you watch Did you watch any of the waste
management this past weekend with Ricky? I did not. I
was on a plane flight back from Saudi Arabia, so
(10:28):
I did not. I did not get a chance to
see any of it. I don't know if you've heard so.
At one point he hits one in the hazard. Uh
he uh, he was one. He was two in the hazard,
ball rolled in. He then drops his third drops his
third ball is technically in play, he has not hit it.
He goes to walk up on the green to see
how much room there is between the pen and the bunker.
And as he's standing on the green to look the
(10:49):
ball rolls back into the water. Technically that ball is
in play, it's back in the hazard and it's another stroke. Yeah, yeah,
I did. I did happen to see that. Um, it's crazy. Um,
you know, something had to make that ball move, whether
it be the rain. Um, you know, it was obviously
still at one point, and so something calls it to move.
(11:09):
I mean it's it's just bad luck and unfortunate timing, ums,
all that is. I mean, I'm glad he was able
to pull it out and not let that bother him
and and you know pull out a w because um,
you know, he's super nice guy. Um, everyone loves him
and you know we're all happy for him. Yeah, it
was cool to see him get the victory after, you know,
after that happened. He had a double a couple holes
(11:30):
before that. But speaking of Saudia Rain, you were there,
were you were around any of the sire Joe Garcia
mess I did happen? I mean, obviously I saw him
in the locker room. I had no idea I played
in front of him. Um, I think two groups in
front of him on Saturday, and uh I saw him
in the locker room. I didn't know what was going
(11:51):
on at the time. I was, I just gotten done,
grabbed lunch and came in and UM saw him Clinton
on his locker. Didn't really think anything of it. Um,
but yeah, it's h ah. It's frustrating as a player
to see, you know, to act like that. Um. You know,
the disrespect to everybody, to act like a child out
(12:12):
there is not Um, it's not cool. It's not send
a good example. And UM, you know it's not cool
to us, you know, showing us no respect or anybody else. Yeah,
I mean the guys playing behind him didn't have to
put on those greens. I saw the there there is
a video. Um, I've seen him in the bunker the
day before when he had a meltdown in the bunker,
and then uh, the green damages were the next day.
(12:34):
And I haven't seen any of the green damages, but
they said that other players did experience some problems putting
on the green because Sergio had gotten upset. I don't
know if he wasn't playing well. I don't know if
he didn't like the golf course where the golf course
condition is not good, or is it just a simple
fact that he just wasn't playing well. I mean, Dustin
didn't have a problem with it. Nothing. Yeah, Dustin didn't
(12:54):
have a problem with it not. You know, Um, you
know that's just Sergio acting like a child. I mean,
it's unfortunate. Um, you know that he's got to do
that and um and complaint. Everybody's gotta play the same
golf course, so you know what I mean. I didn't
play very good, but you don't see anybody. You didn't
really see anybody else doing that. And I mean, you're
forty years old, so you gotta grow up eventually. Speaking
(13:16):
of the trippy we're on, I would be a negligent
to our listeners if I did not ask about the
fabulous vacation that you took with Dustin, Paulina and Jenna
to the Maldives. And at some point somebody talked to
you into putting on a thong and posting it on Instagram.
I must know whose idea was this. I didn't post it.
(13:38):
For the record, I didn't Jenna post said that. Um yeah,
I don't know, man, I'd just like to have a
good time. We're on vacation trying to make people laugh,
and uh, you know, they were all kind of inside
and I brought. I brought a couple of different pairs, um,
and I felt that purple was the way to go
at that point. So, UM know, I brought a speedo
(14:00):
and a thong and I thought the thong would get
everybody laughing and um, you know, kind of lightening up.
I think it was only the second day we were there,
so um you know I was. I definitely thought I
was an Instagram model at that point. So I didn't
see the final results of the poll. Did you win?
Who who wore it better? Or did Jenna win? I'm
gonna take a guess that Jenna one that I didn't
(14:21):
see the results. Yeah, I think, I hope so because
I saw the picture, I hope I didn't know. Good deal,
Well Brooks, thank you so much, man, best to luck
to you this year. I know we've got the Masters
coming up. We got the players coming up first, with
the big schedule changes. Uh what do you think of
the schedule changes? The players being up front, and then
the and then with the Major's being moved around, We've
(14:41):
got one a month that you're a fan of all
the changes that they've made. I love it. I think
it's great. I think, um you know it gives us
a little more time off. I mean, it is and
all your sport. But you know, if you get hot
for three months from you know, the middle of March
till you know, in June, I mean you could rattle
off four majors and a players. I mean, I think
(15:02):
that's that's fun. Um. You know, if you get hot
at the right time, you're gonna see some good golf,
and guys are gonna be have a real good chance
it winning all four UM. And I think going forward
it will be it'll shorten the season for us, which
is nice. Um. You know, really get us focused in.
You know, you have your time off with your family
or whatnot, and and then come back to work and
(15:22):
you just grind it off for those four months. And
I think it could be very very exciting. As a fan,
I'd be excited to watch. Yeah, I like some of
the changes. Now I know you're in New York. Now
you'll be headed back to Florida because that's home. Where
will we see you again on the tour? Um playing
again in two weeks in Mexico. Mexico would be the
first time. And then I'm gonna play uh in the
Honda UM, which would be nice hometown events live there now,
(15:45):
so it's always it's always fun to play that event.
I enjoy it, you know, and get a bunch of friends, family,
getting everybody out, and then then UH Bay Hill and
then players, so right off four in a row there,
which is not something I do very often, but I'm
excited about. I mean, it's Florida or to swing o
the grass, um, you know, so I'm comfortable with and
in a week home doesn't really feel like a week
on the road, right exactly. Speaking of plan in Florida,
(16:08):
I don't know if you also saw for the weekend
UH Tiger Woods and Jack Uh played with President Trump
at Trump Jupiter. If an invitation and maybe it has
been and I'm not aware of, if an invitation was
extended to you from our president to play golf with them,
would you do it? Yeah, Yeah, it's been extended a
couple of times. He's canceled on me once, Um, he
had something come up, and I've canceled on him a
(16:29):
couple of times. I've had something to come up, so
it hasn't worked out unfortunately. You know, I'm looking forward
to playing golf with them. I'm sure we will at
some point. So hopefully in the next um, you know,
coming months, we can we can finally figure out the
time that works for both of us and can get
in there and play some golf. Good deal, that would
be awesome. Well, congratulations Brooks. Three major championships. Hope you
(16:50):
add to it this year. If you'd like to get
to the p G A Championship at Bethpage Black just
outside of New York, go to PG eight dot com,
slash tickets get your take us for all the informations
p G A Championship dot com. Brooks, thank you so
much for your time. It really appreciate it. Congratulations on
your three major championships and good luck this year. Thanks.
I appreciate it all. Right, there you have it, Brooks
(17:11):
kapta three time major champions sounds like he's ready to
have a good season. And uh, some interesting takes there
from him on Sergio Garcia and his behavior in Saudi Arabia. Yeah,
I didn't hold back there, which was fascinating. And look,
Brooks is is uh we all know, has never really
been one to mince words or not share his opinion.
I agree with him, by the way, I agree with it.
(17:31):
There's absolutely no place for somebody to act. I mean,
that's like the way you see a twelve year old
act when he's trying to learn how to play golf. You,
I mean, you've seen in the video from the bunker
the day before. I mean you would think if you act,
if you acted that way the day before that, the
next day, you would have said, hey, I can't act
that way again. Whether it's your sponsors, or whether it's
your family that you're representing on yourself or whatever it is.
(17:54):
But then to go back out there the next day
and destroy what we've all heard to be two three,
four are five greens. I mean, I don't know what
he did on the greens. I haven't seen any videos,
but what I saw in that bunker is enough to
tell me that something else is going on with Sergio. Yeah,
and look, we don't know if there are other things
going on in his world that maybe affected his mood
(18:15):
or attitude, but either way, Look, he's forty years old,
he's major champion, he's a father, but he's got a
long history of temper tantrums. Well, it's not the first
time we've seen this from Sergio. We got upset at
the players that one years Tiger, but he said Tiger
pulled a three one out of his bag while he
was hitting. Well, look, that's one thing. But you know
we've seen him spitting the cup before, um, which is
(18:35):
really deplorable in my opinion. Um, and look, you apologize
for it. Um. This is a guy who just he
lets his emotions take over sometimes and you would like
to see that not happen. I'm sure, Look, you apologized
for it. I'm a little surprised the European Tour didn't
take a little tougher action. Well. Yeah, I mean you
have to do something. It's it's a tricky balance for
(18:57):
them because certainly they don't want to lose a big star, uh,
for a tour that, let's face it, the second fiddle
to the PGA tour. But at the same time, you know,
you really, look, it was a rough week for the
European Tour between playing in Saudi Arabia to begin with,
UM and then the Sergio Garcia incident. You you just
can't let that stuff go by, and and um, you know,
(19:18):
good for Brooks though, for for actually saying something, speaking
and speaking his mind and and sharing that opinion and
being open and honest about it. And and again this
is a guy who, um, you know, has been a
bit polarizing over the last year. But but I give
him all the credit. And look, look, you certainly can't
question his golf. One of the best players in the world,
number two in the world at the moment, three time
(19:41):
major winner, as we've mentioned, in speaking his mind on
a what a lot of people would view as maybe
a sensitive topic or or something they really wouldn't want
to get into. So I give him a lot of
credit for for just um doing that, and I would
agree with him his stance that you just can't let
that sort of stuff happen and when or twelve, never
(20:02):
mind forty and and a major champion. But this, again,
this is the guy Sergio, who has had a history
of letting his emotions get in the way and doing
some things that, um, you know, some regrettable things. Really
all right, and I listen, I know there may be
some things going on behind the scenes. I don't know
that there are, but there could be. But either way,
it doesn't make it okay to act that way. Uh.
(20:22):
If there's some things going on that you need to
handle off the golf course, then take some time off
and handle those things and then get back at it.
It's definitely not a way to represent yourself or the
European Tour out in public or the game of golf.
And um, thanks again for Brooks Kepka for joining us
for this. I think, um, that was good stuff from him, really,
he really was. He's good. He's good. So thanks, thank you, Brooks.
(20:44):
Appreciate it. Thank you so much for listening to the
Plan Through podcast. Hey, it's Brooks Kepka and you're listening
to the Playing Through podcast.
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