Brooks Koepka denied that he and Dustin Johnson had to be separated while visiting the European team room after the Ryder Cup.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, Koepka said: “This Dustin thing, I just don’t get. There was no fight, no argument. He’s one of my best friends. I love the kid to death. We talked on the phone Monday and yesterday, so you tell me how we fought.
“People like to make a story and run with it. It’s not the first time there’s been a news story that isn’t true that’s gone out.”
The Telegraph, citing multiple witnesses, was the first to report that Koepka and Johnson nearly came to blows after a disagreement in the visiting team room. Golf Channel insider Tim Rosaforte confirmed the report, and multiple sources also revealed that the incident occurred.
Full-field scores from the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
It was the second rift among the Americans. On Sunday night, Patrick Reed told The New York Times that Jordan Spieth was to blame for them not being paired together at Le Golf National and that it wasn’t “smart” for captain Jim Furyk to play him only twice in team matches.
Koepka, however, denied that there was any discord among the Americans.
“As far as camaraderie, it was fine, it was perfect,” Koepka told reporters. “The problem is you guys (the media) try to find a reason why we lost and the simple reason is we just didn’t play good enough.
“We didn’t make the putts, hit the fairways, especially me. I lost two matches and halved another one. If I win those, if Tiger (Woods) wins his; Dustin lost one with me and then I think lost in the singles. If we play how we’re supposed to play, we win. There’s nothing wrong with our team. Our team was great. Jim was great.”
Koepka also said that he was “heartbroken” after the spectator he struck with a tee shot at the Ryder Cup has now been blinded in one eye.
“Yesterday was one of the worst days of my life,” he said. “I wasn’t told what happened until I got here. Nobody feels worse about this than me, and it’s messed me up inside. I’m heartbroken. It’s one shot I definitely regret and hopefully I can speak to her.”
