Brooks Koepka was highly critical of Bryson DeChambeau back in 2019, so much so that Jack Nicklaus felt the need to comment.
Koepka – who recently left LIV Golf – and DeChambeau have never seen eye-to-eye, that much is obvious.
Back in August 2025, Koepka actually claimed that DeChambeau was a ‘strange cat’, so it was clear that he still held a grudge against the two-time major winner.
Jack Nicklaus had plenty of rivalries during his time in the professional game but they were based more around competitive conflict.
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Meanwhile, Koepka and DeChambeau have genuinely seemed to dislike each other throughout their respective careers.
DeChambeau aimed a dig at Koepka a few months ago by suggesting that he avoided playing against him in the LIV Golf Team Championship simply because Talor Gooch was the tougher player to beat.
However, Koepka took things to another level entirely back in 2019 with his criticism of DeChambeau.
Why Brooks Koepka ripped into Bryson DeChambeau
DeChambeau is a notoriously slow player due to his methodical approach to the game.
Koepka aimed serious criticism at DeChambeau seven years ago regarding his fellow American’s pace of play.
The five-time major champion was directly asked what he honestly made of DeChambeau’s slow play.
“I just don’t understand how it takes a minute and 20 seconds, a minute and 15 to hit a golf ball; it’s not that hard,” Koepka said.
“It’s always between two clubs; there’s a miss short, there’s a miss long. It really drives me nuts especially when it’s a long hitter because you know you’ve got two other guys or at least one guy that’s hitting before you so you can do all your calculations; you should have your numbers.
“Obviously if you’re the first guy you might take ten extra seconds, but it doesn’t take that long to hit the ball, especially if it’s not blowing 30. If it’s blowing 30 I understand taking a minute and taking some extra time with some gusts, you know changing just slightly, I get that but if it’s a calm day there’s no excuse.
“Guys are already so slow it’s kind of embarrassing. I just don’t get why you enforce some things and don’t enforce others.”
Everything Koepka said there is 100 per cent correct.
One of the main problems in all levels of golf is the fact that players do not prepare to hit their shots while their playing partners are hitting.
They wait until it’s their turn before calculating yardages and deciding what club to hit before pulling the trigger.
The problem all stems from golfers on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf who simply take too long before their shots and, indeed, over the ball.
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Young children watch them on their TVs and think that is how the game should be played. So what is the solution for slow play?
Jack Nicklaus’ advice for Bryson DeChambeau after Brooks Koepka criticism
Nicklaus is always a great person to go to regarding any controversy in the professional game.
His balanced yet authoritative views always seem to simplify tricky situations.
When speaking to The Detroit Free Press back in 2019, Nicklaus was asked to give his opinion on Koepka’s criticism of DeChambeau.
“I was a slow player myself when I was younger, and learned how to combat that,” he said.
“You can learn how to play golf without being slow; it’s not that hard to do.
“Guys (on Tour) can jump on another guy and I don’t necessarily think that’s fair. I think you really help a guy to learn how to play a little bit faster. When I was a slow player my first year on Tour, the guys came to me and worked with me to learn how to move along faster.
“It’s all about being ready to play when it’s your turn. And if you’re ready to play when it’s your turn then you won’t be slow.“
Perhaps DeChambeau’s fellow pros need to help him out with slow play then, after the suggestion from Nicklaus.
That said, Koepka probably won’t be in a hurry to give DeChambeau any tips to help him improve his slow play!
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