#Brooks Koepka’s ‘regret’ has nothing to do with Dustin Johnson

Brooks Koepka regrets insulting “other” golfers, but not Dustin Johnson.

As Koepka chased a fifth major title and assessed the field in front of him heading into the final round of last weekend’s PGA Championship, he seemingly insulted Johnson, then leading the pack, for having “only won one” major, as well as “other guys up there” that he said he didn’t know. Though Koepka chose not to elaborate on his remark about Johnson — who Koepka said he didn’t plan to discuss the matter with — he apologized for making it sound like he had never heard of the less-heralded players in front of him.

“I regret that part of it. That’s what I was trying to say — that I didn’t know who was on the leaderboard at that point because I hadn’t looked,” Koepka told Golfweek. “That part I regret and I wish I had used different words because I didn’t pay enough attention to who was under Dustin because he was my main focus.

“We pretty much know everybody, we grew up playing golf with them and it came across that I had no idea who these guys are. And that’s completely false.”

Koepka, who received criticism from Rory McIlroy and others for the comments, said the increased attention may have contributed to him shooting four over par in the final round, finishing 10 strokes behind winner Collin Morikawa.

“Obviously, a lot came from it. I don’t mind the pressure of that stuff. I put more pressure on myself than anything external,” Koepka said. “At the same time, I didn’t back it up. That’s my own problem. Part of being someone who talks openly and truthfully is that sometimes I come off cocky or arrogant, and it can backfire if you’re not going to play good. That’s exactly what happened.”

The response to the relatively harmless comment made Koepka, 30, feel even less comfortable in his place on the PGA Tour.

“I’m not the typical golf guy. I don’t know how else to put that,” Koepka said. “We didn’t belong to fancy country clubs. I’m not someone who can’t wait to go play those exclusive courses around the country. It doesn’t ‘ooh’ and awe me like it does other people ….I don’t know if I would say [I’m a] misfit, but it’s definitely not my perfect place, I’d put it that way.

“I’ve been portrayed as the villain, right? I’m different, super competitive, fiery. My idea of talking trash is a whole lot different than other people’s. I get the whole villain thing and I can definitely play into it, and I have….Not being afraid to chirp up. But if you’re going to do that then you’ve got to back it up and last week I didn’t back it up. I’m okay with the repercussions of that. I’ve got thick skin. I can handle it.”