Koepka explains why he showed up 45 minutes before tee time: ‘You didn’t see one ounce of stress on my face’

Brooks Koepka, in his words, wasn’t stressed on Sunday. Maybe everyone else was, especially when he wasn’t at the course an hour before his tee time, but apparently he had things under control.

Koepka trailed Rory McIlroy by one entering the final round of the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, but word started to spread on Sunday at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tenn., that the World No. 1 wasn’t at the course.

58 minutes before Brooks Koepka’s tee time, and word is, he’s not arrived yet @WGCFedEx. pic.twitter.com/W6RE63XvQ9

— Jason Munz (@munzly) July 28, 2019

But turns out Koepka was on his way. He was just making a fashionably late arrival.

Why @ColtKnost is going to be great for golf television… Koepka, playing in final pairing at 1pm, has yet to arrive at course. Colt texts him while on air and Koepka promptly replies telling him he’s on his way and he’s already loose 😂 👏

— Amanda Balionis (@Amanda_Balionis) July 28, 2019

We know how the story goes from here. Koepka ran away from McIlroy and the rest of the field with a six-under 65 and won by three. In his press conference after his victory, Koepka explained why he showed up when he did. And, according to him, it wasn’t that unusual.

“I always take less time on Sunday. I’m already loose when I get to the golf course — I don’t even need to hit balls,” he said. “I’ve already stretched, I’ve already done everything. I don’t know why everyone else is in a panic, I’m not. I mean everybody else is stressing. I’m sure you didn’t see one ounce of stress on my face. I’m usually out there maybe 55 minutes before a normal tee time, but on Sundays it’s always like 45.”

Koepka battled a cold all week but didn’t say it affected his play. “I don’t feel good, I haven’t felt good all week, but I don’t want to make an excuse,” he said.

So his late Sunday arrival was just strategic, and turns out it worked quite well.

“I have played for three straight days, it’s hot, I don’t feel that great, so I’m not going to go out there and waste my energy on the range when I could do it on the course,” Koepka said.