Brooks Koepka was scolded so badly by coach Pete Cowen on the eve of the US Open that Justin Thomas felt the need to check on him.
LIV Golf star Koepka has been widely disappointing on the biggest stage in recent years, having failed to secure a top-10 finish at any major since winning the PGA Championship in 2023.
Koepka was read the riot act by his coach ahead of the 2025 US OpenGettyHe also missed the cut at the first two majors of this year, with poor performances at the Masters and Quail Hollow.
But the five-time major champion appears in the mood at the US Open and finished his round on Thursday at 2-under.
That score was good enough to put him within striking distance of first round leader J.J. Spaun at 4-under.
He is firmly in the mix at Oakmont, which boasts the longest Par 3 in history, and the American believes his performance on day one reflected the work he has put in — as well as a harsh scolding from coach Cowen.
“It’s nice to put a good round together,” Koepka said in his press conference.
“It’s been a while. I’ve been working hard, just got into some bad habits and bad swing positions.
“We worked pretty hard last week, Pete Cowen and Jeff Pierce were on me pretty good, and Pete got into me again on Monday, in the bunker for about 45 minutes.
“I just sat there, and he scolded me pretty well.
“It’s just a matter of executing the feels versus perception for where I’ve been, I think. It’s been so far off, it’s on opposite sides, but now it’s starting to click.
“Unfortunately, we’re about halfway through the season, so that’s not ideal, but we’re learning.”
Koepka and Cowen spent 45 minutes in the bunker on the eve of the US OpenGetty He was scolded so badly that Thomas came to check on him afterGettyWhen asked to provide a ‘snippet’ of what his scolding from Cowen sounded like, Koepka went on to reveal that PGA Tour star Thomas came by to check on him.
He 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 Monday night. We were at a Rolex function. He was like, ‘I was worried; your head was down.’”
Koepka added that he wanted to keep the conversation between him and Cowen between themselves.
“Pete, I’ll keep that between us. I wasn’t happy with it, but it was something I think I needed to hear at the right time,” he said.
Koepka didn’t reveal what was said between him and his coach ahead of playGettyKoepka then said that this isn’t the first time he’s had the hairdryer treatment — and that Cowen read him the riot act when the US Open was held at Erin Hills in Washington back in 2017.
“I don’t like having yes people around me. I just want somebody to tell me the truth, tell me what’s going on, what they see,” the American concluded.
“And if I start swaying from being Brooks Koepka, then I want somebody to call me out on it. He did a hell of a job.”
Koepka will tee off his second round at Oakmont alongside Thomas and Min Woo Lee on Friday, June 13.
He will be hoping for shades of his 2017 performance, when he secured his first major triumph with a four-stroke victory over Brian Harman and Hideki Matsuyama.
Koepka successfully defended the US Open a year later at Shinnecock Hills, and also found success at the PGA Championship in 2018, 2019 and 2023.
But he has struggled in 2025, and admitted that his form of recent months has been driving him crazy.
“I would say from the first weekend in April until about last week, you didn’t want to be around me,” Koepka admitted.
Koepka admitted he hasn’t been fun to be around in recent monthsGetty“It drove me nuts. It ate at me. I haven’t been happy. It’s been very irritating.
“It’s a lot — I mean, I had to apologize — I’ve apologized to Rick, Pete, Jeff, Blake, my wife, my son, everybody.
“I wouldn’t have wanted to be around me.”
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