Brookes Koepka turned on the dark charm once again to share his disdain for the Open course Royal St George’s. The media was confronted by Koepka and his unerringly brutal assessment of a links course commonly unpopular with many professional tour players. Brookes is not one to lie to his grandmother even if it would spare her feelings. Koepka calls a spade a spade even if it might be used to dig a grave. The question is will St George slay the dragon they call Brookes Koepka?

Pundits Point to Koepka’s Major Record

Pundits point to the fact that since 2017 Brookes Koepka is some 84 under par in the majors, with Dustin Johnson the nearest competitor at 23 under. Koepka is the epitome of the laconic sportsman. Laconic does not mean laid back, as so many sport’s journalists incorrectly infer through their copy. Koepka is a perfect example of a modern-day Lacedaemonian – a Spartan soldier of golf. Brookes under sufferance provides brutal assessments in an economical style during his press conferences with the sporting media. Koepka lets his golf clubs do the talking at the majors and whether he likes a course or not he is not here to smell the flowers.

Royal St George’s Favours Straight Hitters

Royal St George’s favours the straight hitters of the golf ball, with bumpy fairways sending balls off on wicked forays into bunkers and thick rough. The disciplined game that Brookes Koepka plays will suit this tight coastal course despite earning his early disfavour. Koepka, obviously, likes to position himself as a dark choice via his divisive comments pre- tournament. Brookes plays to the angry young men demographic of the golfing audience, and they love his surly pronouncements made to the world golf media.

Geoff Ogilvy, who picked John Rahm to win the US Open at Torrey Pines, has plumped for Dustin Johnson, another reliable big hitter to win the 2021 Open at Royal St George’s. Covid had reduced the field with the exclusion of Master’s champion Hideki Matsuyama and previous major winners’ Bubba Watson and Zack Johnson. Historically, Greg Norman won the Open here in 1993 and his long straight driving of the golf ball was a large part of that. Despite the fact that many players are not fans of this particular course I predict that we will have a worthy contest for the claret jug.

A few facts about St George, the patron saint of England, and for whom this golf course is so named. St George was actually born in Cappadocia which is located in modern day Turkey. He died in Lydda in AD 303, which was in the Roman province of Palestine. St George wasn’t even a knight; he was more likely an officer in the Roman army. St George never even visited England during his lifetime. His renown was forged via the English kings, Edward I and III, who took up his emblem on banners they carried. The dragon slaying story was a later addition to the many lies and misrepresentations which make up the popular history of medieval England. Brookes Koepka is not a big fan of Royal St George’s but like the history itself can you trust the words of this dark knight, as he prepares to go into battle?

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