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Memo to the critics: if you take on one Koepka, you take on EVERY Koepka.
Just ask Brandel Chamblee.
The Golf Channel analyst has been critical of world No.1 Brooks Koepka on more than one occasion this year.
Ahead of the Masters, for example, he described the four-time major winner’s decision to weight for a nude magazine shoot the “most reckless self-sabotage that I have ever seen by an athlete in their prime”.
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However, it was an observation he made after Koepka took the first round lead at Augusta National this year that appears to have had the most lasting effect.
Chamblee said that he “needed to be convinced” that Koepka was as mentally tough as people made out.
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Koepka later said that this, in particular, had “really pissed me off” – and it appears to have had the same effect on his dad, Bob.
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After playing in last week’s PGA Tour Champions event, Chamblee tweeted about an incident in which his wife – who caddied for him – talked him taking on a tricky shot.
I had 245 to the 18th today, over a creek, my wife says, “Well, are you a man or a mouse?”,needless to say, I went for it. A few holes later I see her reading my 20 ft putt, so I asked, what’s it going to do? She deadpans, “It’s going to go in”…whereupon I made it. #cockycaddy
— Brandel Chamblee (@chambleebrandel) August 31, 2019
That prompted this reply from Bob Koepka.
And you question Brooks toughness? #easydecision
— Bob Koepka (@BobKoepka) September 1, 2019
Chamblee bit back.
Never questioned his toughness… the questionend posed to me was is he THE mentally toughest player on tour. I said I needed more evidence. If you want to be accurate.
— Brandel Chamblee (@chambleebrandel) September 1, 2019
Koepka Snr was having none of it, however, and kept up his attack, this time standing up for his other tour pro son, Chase.
Brooks has previously chosen his younger brother as his partner for the two-man PGA Tour event the Zurich Classic.
Evidently, Chamblee criticised that decision but, according to Bob, had no such issue with Davis Love III choosing his son Dru Love to be his playing partner in the same event.
Kind of like when you guestioned Chase playing Zurich never questioned Dru? #EuropeanTour #facts
— Bob Koepka (@BobKoepka) September 1, 2019
Again, Chamblee stood his ground…
Either way, neither should be entitled to the exemption of a win. Players shouldn’t be able to determine who gets a card.
— Brandel Chamblee (@chambleebrandel) September 1, 2019
And again, Koepka Snr hit back, pointing to the number of PGA Tour starts Dru Love has made.
Kind of like when you guestioned Chase playing Zurich never questioned Dru? #EuropeanTour #facts
— Bob Koepka (@BobKoepka) September 1, 2019
Suffice to say Chamblee won’t be receiving a Christmas card from The Koepkas this year.
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