“We’re good friends” – McIlroy plays down Koepka row

Rory McIlroy has extended the olive branch.

Golf may have to wait a little bit longer for the rivalry that seemed to be brewing between the two best players in the world, after McIlroy responded to Koepka's reminder of his lack of major successes in recent years. Last week, world number one Koepka held nothing back when he ripped into McIlroy's recent major record. Provided with the opportunity to respond, McIlroy was pretty keen to draw a line underneath the whole thing While the Northern Irishman hasn't won a major since 2014, Koepka has managed to scoop the US Open in 2017, and followed that up with back to back USPGA Championships in 2018 and 2019. Speaking to GOLF TV at the Japan Skins event, McIlroy attempted to dampen down the comments;

"What Brooks said wasn't wrong... I mean, he's been the best player in the world the last couple years - four majors. I don't think he had to remind me that I haven't won one in a while."

McIlroy won the Fedex Cup back in August, and pipped Koepka to the PGA Tour Player of the Year award in the process, and was keen to stress that he doesn't have a bone to pick with the American;

"I love Brooks, he's a great guy... He's obviously super-competitive, like we all are. I can see where he's coming from. I think if you take what Brooks said out of context then it can become this big thing that it's become. But Brooks and I are good, we're good friends."

So, nothing to see and move on from McIlroy in response to Koepka's comments last week, but it will be interesting to see how the pair manage their relationship next year as the top two players in the world will inevitable come face to face on some of golf's biggest days next year.