Brooks Koepka aims dig at Rory McIlroy as he opens up on agonising US Open defeat

Brooks Koepka has taken a excavation astatine his The Showdown rival Rory McIlroy for his devastating nonaccomplishment to Bryson DeChambeau astatine the U.S. Open

Brooks Koepka couldn't defy a sly excavation astatine Rory McIlroy arsenic helium reflected connected the latter's crushing defeat to Bryson DeChambeau astatine the U.S. Open.

With The Showdown accumulation lawsuit connected the horizon, wherever PGA Tour stars look disconnected against their LIV Golf counterparts astatine Shadow Creek Golf Course, Koepka took a infinitesimal to remark connected the Northern Irishman's show portion bigging up his ain team's prospects for success.

McIlroy hasn't won a large rubric successful implicit a decennary but came agonisingly adjacent to ending that hold astatine the U.S. Open successful June, but bogeyed 3 of the past 4 holes, allowing DeChambeau the accidental to triumph the tournament. McIlroy finds himself pitted against Koepka, with Scottie Scheffler backing him and DeChambeau teaming up with Koepka.

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Speaking to Golf Digest, Koepka boasted astir the superior tally of large championships his broadside holds, particularly noting that the trio of younger players person scooped each 9 of their majors since McIlroy's past triumph astatine the 2014 PGA Championship.

Koepka was besides precise complimentary of his team-mate DeChambeau arsenic the 2 joked aft Koepka coached a blindfolded U.S. Open champ. “Quirky, opinionated, but precise passionate, precise driven and precise hard-working,” the five-time large victor said. "Hard worker, too, by the way."

DeChambeau pointed backmost astatine Koepka earlier helium revealed the other enactment that his LIV team-mate puts in. “It’s funny, we person immoderate of the aforesaid signifier routines aft a round. I’ve seen him deed play balls for 2 hours.”

The Showdown volition beryllium Scheffler's archetypal quality successful a made-for-TV play event, and the 28-year-old is excited astir the accidental to amusement his personality. "I deliberation it'll beryllium fun," helium said. "I consciousness similar erstwhile I'm playing and competing connected Tour, I don't emotion to beryllium distracted. But with this being mic'd up and america talking much to each different than we would successful a emblematic tournament, this volition beryllium much interactive, much relaxed, much similar what I bash astatine home."

DeChambeau emphasised the value of winning the bragging rights betwixt the PGA Tour and the rebel LIV Golf, contempt the lawsuit being an exhibition. He said: "It's a them-versus-us benignant of mentality. We've been waiting connected a grudge lucifer similar this for a while."

Talks betwixt the PGA and LIV are inactive ongoing, astir a twelvemonth and a fractional aft a preliminary statement was reached betwixt PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Saudi Public Investment Fund governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan. McIlroy has been heavy progressive successful the negotiations connected the PGA's side, on with Tiger Woods, who precocious expressed his dissatisfaction with the stalemate.

"Wish we had thing much concrete. Still moving done it, it's happening daily. Things are moving and they're constructive," Wood expressed, earlier aligning with McIlroy's position connected the standoff, pointing the digit astatine the Department of Justice. "Even if we would've had a woody done by now, it's inactive successful the DOJ's hands," helium added.