Bring on the 2020 Majors. Bring on The Ryder Cup. Bring it ALL on!
2020 in golf looks set to be all about Koepka vs. McIlroy and we’re looking forward to it already.
Brooks Koepka may have just awoken the competitive beast within Rory McIlroy.
The four-time Major winner has developed a new cutting streak to his press conferences and is taking no prisoners. It is great to see.
The American has been on a hot streak over the past three years and, due to PGA Tour event re-scheduling, was on course to hold all four majors had he won the 2019 Masters. That did not come to pass but he was still in the mix for the US Open and won three tournaments in 2019.
Bizarrely, given that we are in October 2019, the 2020 golf season is now underway and Koepka is seeking to defend one of his pots from last season, the CJ Cup.
Ahead of that event, Koepka was roused into a spiky response when asked about his rivalry with McIlroy. His response was brutal, and telling.
The Northern Irishman finished off last season by outscoring Koepka in their final round together and claiming both the FedEx Cup and (after a vote by fellow pros) the PGA Tour golfer of the year.
Koepka was slogging away on The European Tour when McIlroy, one year his senior, was winning his four Majors. From what he has seen in recent years, the Florida native has not been overly impressed. He declared:
“I’ve been out here for, what, five years. Rory hasn’t won a major since I’ve been on the PGA Tour. So I just don’t view it as a rivalry.
“I’m not looking at anybody behind me,” he added. “I’m number one in the world. I’ve got open road in front of me I’m not looking in the rearview mirror, so I don’t see it as a rivalry.
“You know if the fans do [call it a rivalry], then that’s on them and it could be fun.”
This is exactly the sort of trash-talk we want to hear from Koepka,
McIlroy has looked a different animal since his horrendous opening round at The Open, in Portrush. He has re-found his focus and answered back in style with the lucrative FedEx win.
The only way to shut up the doubters, and the likes of Koepka, is to starting winning majors again and there’s no better time to do that than 2020.
And, while he’s at it, he can do Koepka in the Olympics, and win a gold medal for Ireland.
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