‘He will win a lot more’: Brooks Koepka can rival greats for majors, says coach

Pete Cowen, the English coach of Brooks Koepka, believes the newly crowned US PGA champion can match the major-winning tallies of legends such as Ben Hogan and Gary Player. Koepka’s two-stroke success at Oak Hill means he has five majors to his name, including three US PGA titles.

Cowen, who coaches Koepka primarily on his short game, sees no reason for the 33-year-old to stop there. Hogan and Player won nine majors apiece. “He will win a lot more,” he said. “I certainly think he will go another four and he would obviously like a grand slam. Look at how many times he has been second or just missed out already. I thought he was an unbelievable player in 2018-2019 and he has got stronger.”

Injury was Koepka’s problem during much of the intervening period, leading to fears he may even have to step away from top-level golf. “That really affected him,” Cowen said. “You can’t swing the way you want to when your fitness is poor.

“I believed he could come back because he has always been comfortable in uncomfortable situations. He looks as though he is going to beat you now, when he is coming down the stretch. He is not frightened of working, that’s for sure, and he couldn’t work when he was injured.”

Koepka, who tied for second in the Masters, will rise to second in the automatic qualifying places for the US Ryder Cup team. While it would seem extraordinary if he did not at least receive a captain’s pick for the September meeting with Europe in Rome, Koepka’s position as part of the rebel LIV tour adds an element of doubt. “He would love to play in the Ryder Cup,” Cowen said. “I know Brooks – and Dustin Johnson – would love to play. I have spoken to them about it.”

A tongue-in-cheek comment followed, in reference to the PGA Tour