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Chamblee: Brooks Koepka is “just not in the class” of Woods, Johnson or McIlroy
On Tuesday, Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee made an appearance on SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio with host Hank Haney where Chamblee further explained and doubled down on his belief that Brooks Koepka is “not in the class” of Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, or Rory McIlroy.
The feud between Koepka and Chamblee escalated this week following the golf talking head describing Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy as the only players capable of challenging Tiger Woods as the best player in the world. Irked by the oversight, Koepka then published a photo of the analyst with a clown nose attached.
On Tuesday, Chamblee explained that he believes Koepka is a “heck of a player”, but moved to defend his stance that the American couldn’t win the 2019 Masters because of his “inability to move the ball right to left” and his “poor lag putting”, after some golf fans believed that the 29-year-old had proved Chamblee wrong after his runner-up finish.
“He made a double bogey on the second hole because he missed it left. That happens when you can’t comfortably swing it out and draw it around the corner. I said that his poor lag putting on the year would be an issue at Augusta National, and he three-putted five times. You know, you win and lose for reasons.
“I think Brooks (Koepka) is a hell of a player. I’ve said so I don’t even know how many times. He certainly wasn’t putting a clown nose on my face when I was lauding him all these years.”
Speaking on his omission from players Chamblee believes can challenge Woods at the top of the game, the golf analyst, in typical fashion, did not mince words. Chamblee explained that the reason Koepka does not possess the capability to challenge the 15-time major champ, unlike Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy, is because both Johnson and McIlroy are both better drivers, iron players and are better around the greens than Koepka.
“It’s not to say Brooks Koepka isn’t a hell of a player, and he may grow into becoming an even better player. Most recently I just omitted him as a player who I thought could challenge for the best player, of Tiger Woods, and I said Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy were more in line with those players.
“I chose those players for very specific reasons. They’re better drivers of the ball than Brooks, they’re better irons players than Brooks for the most part, they’re better around the greens than Brooks. … Would I put him right there behind those players? Absolutely. Brooks is an amazing player, he’s just not in the class of the other players that I’ve mentioned.”
"I think Brooks is a heck of a player…. He certainly wasn't putting a clown nose on my face when I was lauding him all these years." – @chambleebrandel joined Hank Haney Golf Radio to share his comments on @BKoepka pic.twitter.com/ibEj47IqUo
— SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio (@SiriusXMPGATOUR) May 7, 2019
All quotes courtesy of SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio.
I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear
OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.
LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break
Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.
Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.
On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.
On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.
On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.
PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home
Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.
On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?
Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.
Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?
PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates
Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.
Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.
Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.
Card III and Bacha both miss their birdie tries on the first playoff hole.
We’ll play 18 again @OspreyOpen. pic.twitter.com/vNpHTdkHDg
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) August 3, 2025
GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX
7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
Scott Koontz
May 10, 2019 at 10:32 pm
LOLZ at Chamblee criticizing Brooks as a bad matchup for Augusta when the man comes in 2nd.
Dave r
May 10, 2019 at 10:52 am
Brandel how are you still employeed . Like really just get on your horse and ride off into the sunset. You need to get a reality check. I mute my tv every time you open your mouth to talk you so full of yourself . Man it must suck to be so perfect.
Jack
May 8, 2019 at 9:16 pm
How many regular tour events has Brooks won?
Brandon
May 8, 2019 at 8:51 pm
Chamblee is Stephen A. Smith in white face.
Tom54
May 8, 2019 at 6:59 pm
Koepka can’t win the Masters cause he can’t hit the draw when he needs it? Last time I checked a Mr Nicklaus won there 6 times and his preferred ball flight was a …………?
Larry hagel
May 8, 2019 at 6:55 pm
Who cares what the so called expert says. What’s he ever done in golf that matters.
Justin
May 8, 2019 at 6:32 pm
chamblee is correct. nothing he said is wrong.
Before we all get too excited about 3 majors in two years, I give you Padraig Harrington. Let’s see Brooks sustain this before anointing him above guys with 15 and 20 wins respectively. Too many people hate everything Chamblee says because its en vogue.
greg mcneill
May 8, 2019 at 5:37 pm
If he wasn’t controversial, he would be irrelevant. I don’t know if he really some of the stuff he says and writes or if he’s just taking positions that will get a rise from people. I think Brandel understands golf, is a student of golf and is a capable observer, but so are dozens of other former golfers. He has to find a way to stand out. This is another example.
Tim Armington
May 9, 2019 at 12:41 pm
I couldnt agree more!
Dave
May 8, 2019 at 3:03 pm
Isn’t this the same “clown” that said over and over that Tiger would NEVER win another major??? Why is he now calling Tiger the best golfer in the world?
David Johns
May 9, 2019 at 12:20 pm
He said he would never win another major with the swing he using a few years ago. He has since changed his swing and Chamblee changed his opinion (well before Tiger won a major or even a Tournament).
C
May 8, 2019 at 2:48 pm
Get this clown off the air, NOW !!!!!
sammy
May 8, 2019 at 12:27 pm
Chamblee is making his own best case for being obtuse.
Distance Compression Dude
May 8, 2019 at 12:27 pm
Brandel Chamblee is the Brandel Chamblee of golf.
Brent Mann
May 8, 2019 at 12:18 pm
Why do they keep giving this jerk a platform.
Erik Morden
May 8, 2019 at 10:58 am
Ok so is Chamblee high? Koepka has three majors with 2 in one year, that puts him one behind Rory and two ahead of DJ so how is Koepka not in the same class. They all hit the ball well they all have won at the highest levels how is Koepka different?
Justin
May 8, 2019 at 10:47 am
So Chamblee says his reason that Brooks is not in the same category as Rory is that he didn’t win The Masters. Remind me what year did Rory win The Masters? It is really hard for this man to admit that he was wrong.
Aj
May 8, 2019 at 10:55 am
Brooks has won 3 majors in 2 years Rory 0 Dustin 0
Andrew
May 8, 2019 at 2:48 pm
Aj you forgot to add Chamblee 0 in 20 years
judy crockett
May 9, 2019 at 12:27 am
I have never seen such a bare attack of jealousy on a golfer. Brandel you are clearly very jealous of the best striker of the golf ball on tour and his lack of response to your nastiness and hatred of his pure raw talent is eating you up. SHAME I feel sad for you being so alone.