If you’ve ever been slighted or snubbed, then you and PGA golfer Brooks Koepka have something in common. You might remember that I was just writing about Koepka after he won the U.S. Open in June, completing a particularly grueling course without complaint. He didn’t whine, complain, or vent his frustrations – as many of his opponents were doing. He simply competed and won.
You might think that after winning his second U.S. Open in a row, Koepka would get some respect. You’d be wrong. Leading up to last week’s PGA Championship, Koepka was generally ignored until he posted a blistering 63 in the second round. Then the media took note, but just barely. Even on the last day of play, the story wasn’t that Koepka was on the verge of winning three out of his last four majors, it was Tiger Woods coming from behind and almost winning. The headlines mostly blared, “Tiger almost wins” rather than, “Koepka Wins Again.”
The Great thing about Brooks Koepka is that he never let those headlines ruin his play.
If the insults, the snubs, the slights on his talent and skill from the media’s casual disregard of this Great competitor mattered to Koepka, he never let it show. He played the next hole. When the crowd roared during his backswing because Tiger Woods just sank a putt, Koepka kept his head down and followed through for a beauty of a shot down the fairway. The world might’ve been watching the tournament because everybody was hoping Tiger would do it, but Brooks wasn’t worried about the world.
He was focused on the next shot.