Brooks Koepka finally makes Masters confession: "I mean, I can say it now"

Brooks Koepka appears to have finally revealed what overwhelmed him at the 2023 Masters.  

Koepka led by two strokes heading into the final round at Augusta National but was upstaged by Jon Rahm. 

Rahm kept his nerve and showed patience while the big American was erratic right out of the gate, dropping four shots on the front nine.

It took a few weeks for Koepka to admit that he did in fact choke after firing that final round of 75. 

But he also claimed there was something else that hindered him, although he refused to reveal what it was.

Now, though, he appears to have given fresh insight into what transpired during a YouTube golf match against new LIV Golf recruit Rick Shiels. 

Koepka, who claims he can still win double digit majors, said: "I think that's something that is very attainable. I look at it a few times and I believe I should have eight realistically [by now]. 

"I handed Phil one on a silver platter, I really think in '19 I blew Augusta to Tiger and I gave one to Jon at Augusta. 

"That [2023] was an interesting one."

Koepka said he believes his game suits Augusta, adding: "I mean I can say it now. You're the first person I said it to, I got so obsessed and focussed on ... I wanted it so bad that that was the problem.

"I couldn't take my own advice. It's easy to say it, right? But in the moment I want to win Augusta, I've always wanted to do this and you've got the opportunity and it's right there in front of you. 

"All you've got to do is finish 18 more holes. I got so far ahead. And when you get so far ahead you lose what's going on and it just became a disaster and a snowball effect and you're just going down and down."

Koepka said he stayed up with his best friend throughout the night going through every shot and what was going through his head to try and prevent it happening again. 

He did not take too long to bounce back and won his fifth major at the PGA Championship later that summer. 

Koepka was the first LIV player to get his hands on a major trophy. 

"That was the coolest thing in my career," he told Shiels. "Because it meant so much because I had just blown that.

"We figured out what the problem was and then to actually put it into action was a huge thing.

"I mean, it's going to help me years down the road now."

Koepka said he does not look back at past disappointments as failures. 

"If you learn something, then that's a success," he said. "I don't think I could've won the PGA without blowing the Masters to Jon." 

The 2025 Masters will be played over 10-13 April. 

You can watch the whole match here. 

Brooks Koepka Masters record

As Koepka alluded to, he has come close to winning the coveted green jacket on more than one occasion. 

He finished one stroke behind Tiger Woods in 2019 when the big cat captured his fifth Masters title. 

Koepka started the final round at 10-undr par, two shots behind Woods and Francesco Molinari. 

Birdies at the second and third holes moved him into the lead but he came unstuck at the famed par-3 12th when his tee shot found Rae's Creek. 

Koepka bounced back from the devastating double bogey with an eagle at 13, but spurned two more glorious birdie chances at the 17th and 18th which could have forced a playoff with Woods. 

In 2019, Koepka ended up sharing second place with Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffele. 

Losing to Jon Rahm in 2023 undoubtedly stung more, given surrendered a four-shot lead to the Spaniard. 

In the end, Koepka had to settle for a share of second place with Phil Mickelson. 

Koepka will make his ninth Masters appearance this April. 

Of the eight tournaments he has entered, Koepka has made six cuts. 

He missed out on the weekend action in 2021 and 2022. Koepka previously told reporters that missing the cut three years ago led to him trying to smash the window of his Mercedes in the Augusta National car park. 

"I guess Mercedes makes a pretty good window," he joked after he tried, unsuccessfully, to smash it to smithereens. 

Take a look at Koepka's Masters record below:

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