Ryder Cup 2021: Paul Azinger questions Brooks Koepka’s commitment after interview admission

Koepka sounds less than enthused about the prospect of representing his country at Whistling Straights in an interview with Golf Digest

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Brooks Koepka suggested in an interview that the Ryder Cup wasn’t his favoured format. Photo: USA Today

Published: 1:23pm, 16 Sep 2021Updated: 1:23pm, 16 Sep 2021

Former United States captain Paul Azinger has questioned Brooks Koepka’s commitment to the Ryder Cup after the four-time major winner described the biennial event as “a bit odd” and said he might not be cut out for team sports.

In an interview with Golf Digest this week, Koepka said the team event pitting the United States against Europe threw his regular routine off and it was tough dealing with distractions such as photo opportunities, meetings and team-building.

“You go from an individual sport all the time to a team sport one week a year,” he added. “It’s so far from my normal routine. I can barely see my (personal) team. It’s hard to even go to the gym.”

The 31-year-old, who is still recovering from a wrist injury that forced him out of the Tour Championship, said there was no time to decompress at the Ryder Cup.

“It’s more demanding than I’m used to, and there’s a lot of emotion there, so by Sunday, you’re just dead.”

Koepka added that while he would love to represent his country at the Olympics, it was “just maybe not in my DNA, the team sports thing.”