Brooks Koepka's golf coach recalls his biggest rollocking: "He was a disgrace"

Brooks Koepka's golf coach has lifted the lid on one of the heaviest dressing downs he has ever given the five-time major champion. 

Koepka was a dominant force in the men's major championships between 2017-2019, winning the US Open and PGA Championship twice. 

According to his swing coach Peter Cowen, he had to read Koepka the riot act a week before he won his maiden major at Erin Hills. 

Koepka missed the cut at the St Jude Classic and, according to Cowen, displayed a terrible attitude that embarrassed his coach.  

"He was a disgrace," Cowen told the most recent edition of The Rick Shiels Golf Show. "He was horrendous.

"Walking around as if his dog had died. 'Poor me, poor me, you see that bad luck?' It was one of them. 

"The next week was Erin Hills and I said to him before we start I want you to come down to the chipping area and I need to talk to you. 

"I remember, I'm stood like a school teacher and he's sat down with Ricky. 

"Behind them, there's the road to the golf club and I remember G-Mac and Ken Comboy, his caddie coming across in the car: 'Ooo, he's getting a b--------- from Pete!'"

Cowen continued: "I said to him, 'you embarrassed me. I was totally embarrassed. Your attitude was poor'. 

"I said with an attitude like that you'll win nothing. Either start creating a better attitude, otherwise you'll win nothing. Show me."

Cowen told the podcast that he has never been afraid of losing his job. 

Over the years, he has coached the likes of Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, Louis Oosthuizen, Sergio Garcia and the aforementioned McDowell. 

Cowen said each player has endured his wrath. "I've had to give a lot of them a rollocking," he added. 

"Half a dozen of them before they won a major. Weeks before, or literally at the week.

"Henrik needed it before he won at Troon. Darren needed it [at the 2011 Open]. 

"People are frightened of losing their job. I've never been frightened of losing my job."

As for Koepka, he had to wait until the 2023 PGA Championship to add his fifth major title to his resume. 

It followed his reported $100m switch to LIV Golf and a tumultuous period where he feared his career was over owing to a serious knee injury. 

Since lifting the Wanamaker Trophy at Oak Hill Country Club, Koepka has not been at his best in the big four. 

In 2025, missed cuts at The Masters and PGA Championship prompted another dressing down from Cowen before the US Open at Oakmont Country Club. 

"I just sat there, and he scolded me pretty well," Koepka previously said. "I'll put it this way: JT thought he had to come check on me in the bunker.

"We were in there for about 45 minutes, and he was on the other side of the green. I saw him [JT] Monday night. We were at a Rolex function. 

"He was like, 'I was worried, your head was down.'

"Yeah, Pete, I'll keep that between us. I wasn't happy with it, but it was something I think you need to hear or I needed to hear at the right time.

"It's not the first time he's done it."

Koepka ended up sharing 12th place at the third men's major of the year, but missed the cut a month later at The Open in Ireland. 

He did not win on LIV Golf this year, with his best finish a runner-up in Singapore.