Paul Azinger Suggests Koepka Should "Relinquish" His Ryder Cup Spot

The 2008 winning US captain thinks Koepka should pull out of the Ryder Cup if he doesn't love the match

Paul Azinger pictured
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The 2008 winning US captain thinks Koepka should pull out of the Ryder Cup if he doesn't love the match

Brooks Koepka made it fairly clear that he isn't a huge lover of the Ryder Cup in a recent interview with Golf Digest, and 2008 US captain Paul Azinger thinks that the former World No.1 should "relinquish his spot" if he doesn't want to be there.

Koepka described the Ryder Cup as "demanding" and "odd" in an interview that wouldn't have inspired Steve Stricker with confidence ahead of Whistling Straits.

“Brooks, when I just read that article, I’m not sure he loves the Ryder Cup that much," Paul Azinger said on Koepka's comments.

"If he doesn’t love it, he should relinquish his spot and get people there who do love the Ryder Cup.

"Not everybody embraces it, but if you don’t love it and you’re not sold out, then I think Brooks should – especially being hurt, should consider whether or not he really wants to be there.

“Then if you add the Bryson dynamic to that, that would be an easier decision for him.

"Brooks is one of the most candid, most honest guys there is, and if he’s blatantly honest with himself and doesn’t want to be there, he should come out and say it."

Related: 10 incredible Ryder Cup records

Azinger also commented on the Brooks/Bryson feud, hinting that the team dynamic might be better without one of them there.

“I don’t know, I’m a fan of both players. I just feel like it’s going to be one or the other," he said.

"They’re going to put the weight of the team on their shoulders, or they’re going to be a pain in the neck.”

The Ryder Cup beings on 24th September, with USA looking to win the trophy back after their defeat in Paris last time out.

Azinger was captain of the winning US side in 2008 at Valhalla, where they won 16.5-11.5 to end a run of three consecutive European victories.

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV