Brooks Koepka reveals Royal St George’s ‘not my favourite’ Open course

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Any hopes within the R&A hierarchy that the Open Championship's return to Royal St George's would be free from venue-related controversy have been ruined by Brooks Koepka. The four-time major winner used pretournament media duties to pointedly state the Kent course is not my favourite of the rotation" owing to blind shots and what the American perceives as lack of opportunity for drama.

The tournament organisers would have shuddered at Koepka's words. St George's is viewed by many within golf as the poor relation of the Open circuit. Surprise victories for Ben Curtis in 2003 and Darren Clarke eight years later partly fuelled that negativity. Now Koepka, before his seventh Open appearance, has had his say.