Brooks Koepka arrives 45 minutes ahead of final round tee time at WGC-FedEx St. Jude
Pro golfers typically show up at least an hour or even earlier ahead of their tee times during tournaments. It allows them ample time to warm up, practice, and complete their pre-round routine at the driving range and putting green.
But on Sunday, Brooks Koepka cut it very close. The No. 1 player in the world arrived at TPC Southwind just 45 minutes ahead of his final round tee time in the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational in Memphis.
Koepka was scheduled to tee off at 1:00 p.m. local time (2:00 ET) alongside 54-hole leader Rory McIlroy, who entered Sunday’s final round just one stroke ahead of Koepka. But the four-time major champion Koepka didn’t even have time to pull into his parking spot.
Instead, the black Ford Expedition that was bringing Koepka to the event drove right up to the clubhouse entrance, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal. There, Koepka and his caddie Ricky Elliott hopped out of the vehicle and went straight to the putting green.
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Tour pro Colt Knost, who was in the broadcast booth for Golf Channel this week, texted Koepka on air to see where he was. The 29-year-old Koepka responded, saying that he was on his way and already loose.
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
Not surprisingly, Golf Twitter took notice of Koepka’s tardiness and reacted exactly as one would expect them to react.
Range balls, smange balls! I love Brooks Koepka more every day… https://t.co/veQHEo46Iu
— Blake Eddins (@BlakeEddins) July 28, 2019
What a legend https://t.co/IcoSt6fPLE
— Schu (@tschu_22) July 28, 2019
This guy just gets better and better. Probably out ripping mich ultras @MichelobULTRA @BKoepka
— Ryan Tintera 🍺 (@RyanTintera30) July 28, 2019
This is stuff of a legend.
— whyman #plays (@whyman_lv) July 28, 2019
https://twitter.com/JasonBakerJB/status/1155526513195978752?s=20
Brooks taking the whole “I don’t practice if it’s not a major, I just show up and play” narrative to the next level. #WGCFedEx https://t.co/u8hQxLXc5s
— Dan Hauser (@DanHauserSports) July 28, 2019
It’s Gucci brah, just show and go 🤘🏼 https://t.co/wdjHHoW4qZ
— Josh Vardaman (@joshvardaman) July 28, 2019
Confirmed: Brooks Koepka does not practice for normal golf tournaments
Ultimate power move https://t.co/eMUvnKp27s
— Barstool Tyler (@tyler_sportss) July 28, 2019
Less than an hour until he tees off…
Has anyone seen Brooks? pic.twitter.com/kvM4fKgDr5
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) July 28, 2019
Not the hero we deserve, but perhaps the hero we need. https://t.co/Vc8qVDo3r6
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) July 28, 2019
Need Koepka to be a shot clear at the Masters and show up so late on Sunday he has to break the “no running” rule on his way to the first tee.
— Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) July 28, 2019
Despite the late arrival, Koepka made it just in time to tee off alongside fellow four-time major champion and No. 3 player in the world McIlroy. And it doesn’t seem to have impacted him, as Koepka has birdied three of his first six holes to move two strokes ahead of Rory at 14-under.
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