There is no denying that two of the best golfers of their generation are Brooks Koepka and Rory McIlroy. In all honesty, Koepka and Rory are two of the best players of all time, with Koepka having five majors and Rory having four.
Despite the fact that the two superstars seldom ever play against each other anymore—Koepka plays in LIV Golf, while McIlroy plays on the PGA Tour—there is still a strong rivalry between the two that is tempered by respect.
In fact, Koepka was asked if he had to tee off with one golfer for every for the rest of his life, who would it be during an interview on the February 21 episode of the YouTube show “The Scoop” with Claire Rogers of Golf.com. His response? McIlroy Rory.
“I know most people won’t like this response, but Rory,” Koepka said. “I feel like there might be a competition, which is revealing a lot. I have to beat him by at least one [major title]. He may or may not be that way. It’s almost a one-up thing, and he’s going to get five shortly.
Koepka went on, “I feel like he’s one of the best players ever, so I kind of want to try to be a little better than him.” It’s merely an attempt to outdo each other. That’s how it feels to me, anyhow. I figure, “Okay, I want to try to make sure I get a big enough lead before he starts closing that gap,” and I show up at a major.
Koepka Brooks In major victories at the 2023 PGA Championship, surpassed Rory McIlroy.
Koepka and McIlroy arrived at golf superstardom via distinct routes.
Born just a day before Rory turned one, Koepka chose the college route, becoming pro at 22, and having to rise through golf’s version of the minor leagues. McIlroy turned pro at age 18 and had an immediate impression, winning on the DP World Tour at 19.
McIlroy had already won four major championships by the time Koepka participated in his first full season as an official member of the PGA Tour in 2014–15, with the 2014 PGA Championship being his most recent victory. Most people thought Rory would keep adding to his total, but that hasn’t happened.
In contrast, Koepka has outperformed his adversary and friend in terms of major titles. In 2017 and 2018, he won the U.S. Open twice in a row. In 2018 and 2019, he repeated as champion at the PGA Championship. Brooks then triumphed at the 2023 PGA Championship to become the first player from LIV Golf to win a major.
With 24 wins on the PGA Tour overall compared to Koepka’s nine, McIlroy continues to lead. Brooks has two LIV Golf solo victories to his credit.
Next Up, Koepka and McIlroy Will Face Off at The Masters