BROOKS KOEPKA HAS rubbished reports that he was involved in a post-Ryder Cup altercation with Dustin Johnson, stating: “I love the kid to death.”
Three-time major champion Koepka and world number one Johnson were said to have clashed in Europe’s team room at Le Golf National after the United States players were invited in following their 17.5 – 10.5 defeat on Sunday.
The duo had teamed up for a foursomes defeat to Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose on Saturday.
Koepka said there was no bust-up in France as he prepares to tee off alongside younger brother Chase at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Thursday.
“This Dustin thing I don’t get. There is no fight, there is no argument, he’s one of my best friends,” Koepka said when asked about the alleged disagreement with his compatriot.
“I love the kid to death, we talked on the phone Monday and yesterday, so you tell me how we fought, I don’t know.
“People like to make a story and run with it. It’s not the first time there has been a news story that isn’t true that has come out.”
He added: “As far as the camaraderie [in the team], I think it was perfect. The problem is you guys try to find a reason we lost and the simple reason is we just didn’t play good enough.
“We didn’t make the putts, we didn’t hit the fairways. Especially me, I lost two matches and halved another one.
“We didn’t play good enough, but there is nothing wrong with our team. Our team was great, [captain] Jim [Furyk] was great. That is just you guys trying to find an excuse as to why we didn’t win and it’s very simple.”
Koepka again spoke of his anguish at being informed a female spectator struck by one of his tee shots on day one of the Ryder Cup had lost sight in her right eye.
“Yesterday was probably one of the worst days of my life. I haven’t had too many tragedies in my personal family where there has been a loss or any kind of tragic accident, so I’ve been lucky in that sense,” he said.
“I wasn’t told until I got to the golf course and I’m not the biggest person on social media, I don’t have updates coming to my phone, so when I got here and I had about seven missed calls and 25 texts messages I was like, ‘what’s going on?’
“Then I was told the news and obviously I’m really heartbroken. My stomach sank, yesterday was probably one of my hardest days trying to focus and play golf just knowing what was going to come when I was done.”
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