Thursday 17 October 2019 10:33, UK
World No 1 Brooks Koepka has shut down any suggestion of a rivalry between him and Rory McIlroy after reminding the Northern Irishman he hasn’t won a major in five years.
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McIlroy was already a four-time major champion when Koepka became a full PGA Tour member in 2014, although has failed to add to that tally in the time that Koepka has won both the US Open and PGA Championship twice.
The pair both registered three wins during their 2018-19 season, where McIlroy pipped Koepka to PGA Tour player of the year after winning the FedExCup for the second time, but the American doesn't see any kind of direct competition between the two.
Ahead of his title defence at the CJ Cup, Koepka told AFP: "I've been out here for, what, five years. Rory hasn't won a major since I've been on the PGA Tour. So I just don't view it as a rivalry.
"I'm not looking at anybody behind me. I'm No 1 in the world. I've got open road in front of me I'm not looking in the rear-view mirror. You know if the fans do [call it a rivalry], then that's on them and it could be fun.
"Look I love Rory he's a great player and he's fun to watch, but it's just hard to believe there's a rivalry in golf. I just don't see it."
Koepka got the better of McIlroy to win the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational in July, when the two were in the final pairing, before McIlroy gained revenge by winning the Tour Championship and its $15m jackpot.
The next tournament where both players are scheduled to appear is the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai from October 31-November 3.
