Rory McIlroy ‘taken aback’ by Brooks Koepka’s dig at Dustin Johnson

SAN FRANCISCO — Rory McIlroy took issue with Brooks Koepka‘s feedback next the 3rd spherical of the PGA Championship in which he famous that Dustin Johnson “only” had a solitary important to his title as he assessed his very own probabilities at successful a 3rd straight Wanamaker Trophy.

Asked about it Sunday pursuing a closing-spherical 68, McIlroy reported he was not impressed.

“It truly is a quite different mentality to deliver to golf that I will not feel a lot of golfers have,” reported McIlroy, who has gained four main championships but none given that 2014. “I was looking at the golf previous evening and read the interview and was just kind of taken aback a tiny little bit by form of what he stated and whether he was attempting to participate in head games or not.

“If he is attempting to enjoy brain video games, he’s trying to do it to the mistaken man or woman. I you should not feel D.J. actually offers a lot of a worry [to] that. But just unique. I try to respect absolutely everyone out here. Everybody is a wonderful player. If you’ve got won a main championship, you’re a hell of a participant. Isn’t going to signify you have only won one: You’ve received one, and you’ve had to do a ton of excellent factors to do that.

“I signify, sort of tricky to knock a man who’s bought 21 wins on the PGA Tour, which is a few periods what Brooks has.”

Johnson took a 1-shot lead into the last spherical. His lone significant title came at the 2016 U.S. Open. Three prior instances he held the 54-gap lead in a major and did not go on to get. He captured his 21st PGA Tour title — only Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have far more among the lively gamers — in June at the Travelers Championship.

Koepka and McIlroy twice dueled final 12 months, with Koepka prevailing at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational and then McIlroy successful the Tour Championship, exactly where Koepka completed fourth.

Koepka reported last drop he didn’t see the two players possessing a rivalry.

“I’ve been out in this article for what, 5 several years?” Koepka claimed. “Rory hasn’t gained a key due to the fact I’ve been on the PGA Tour. So I really don’t look at it as a rivalry.”

When sizing up the final-round leaderboard, Koepka stated he preferred his probabilities at pulling a PGA Championship 3-peat … in part due to the fact he realized those he was competing from have been not as seasoned as him and that Johnson’s lone significant title was 4 a long time back.

Koepka has gained four majors and for the second yr in a row was striving to acquire the similar main for the third straight calendar year.

“I like my prospects,” he said. “When I have been in this place prior to, I’ve capitalized. I never know, he is only won one. I’m participating in fantastic. We will see.”