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Brooks Koepka seemed unfazed by the competition ahead of the PGA Championship.
- Brooks Koepka has been the most dominant golfer at majors over the past three years.
- Speaking ahead of the PGA Championship at Bethpage Black, Koepka said that he believes majors to be the easiest tournaments to win.
- Koepka said that he'll simply beat half the field, and between the pressures of a major and others not playing well, Koepka really only has to beat a few players in order to win.
- On Thursday, Koepka backed up his strong words, shooting a course record 63 to finish the first round as the clubhouse leader at 7-under.
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When it comes to majors, Brooks Koepka has been the most dominant golfer in the world over the past three years.
The reigning PGA Championship winner and two-time reigning U.S. Open champion has been all but unstoppable since 2015, with just one finish outside the top 21 in the past 14 majors he's played, and five more top-10 finishes in addition to his three wins.
While majors are considered the toughest challenges, and thus the biggest prizes, on the golfing calendar, according to Koepka, the majors are the easiest tournaments to win on the tour.
Speaking ahead of the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black, Koepka said he always likes his chances when competing at majors.
"I think you keep doing what you're supposed to do, you play good, you peak at the right times," Koepka said. "I think sometimes the majors are the easiest ones to win."
Koepka, who has more wins at major (3) than non-major (2) events, went on to explain his reasoning, immediately dismissing half of the field as just inferior competition, and adding that the pressure of the moment will get to some players that might be more level-headed at a regular tournament.
"There's 156 [players] in the field, so you figure at least 80 of them I'm just going to beat," Koepka said. "You figure about half of them won't play well from there, so you're down to about maybe 35. And then from 35, some of them just - pressure is going to get to them. It only leaves you with a few more, and you've just got to beat those guys."
Koepka's words might be taken for misplaced bravado if not for his impressive ability to back it up. During Thursday's first round at Bethpage Black, Koepka shot a course-record 63 to finish the day 7-under as the clubhouse leader by a wide margin.
Koepka has three major wins in his past seven starts, and after Thursday, is well positioned for a fourth.
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