Emotions have been running high since Team USA was defeated in convincing fashion by Team Europe at the Ryder Cup over the weekend, but it sounds like Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka may have been more worked up than anyone.
James Corrigan of The Telegraph reported on Tuesday that Johnson and Koepka nearly came to blows and had to be separated while they were visiting the European team room after the Ryder Cup ended on Sunday. While the exact reason for the altercation is unknown, Golf Channel’s Tim Rosaforte confirmed on Tuesday that it did, in fact, take place.
Johnson and Koepka, two former U.S. Open champions, played together in the Saturday afternoon foursomes, losing to Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson. The two are considered close friends and often work out together in Florida, which is part of what made the altercation so surprising. Johnson’s fiancee Paulina Gretzky was nearby when the incident took place, and a source told The Telegraph that the wife of a European golfer who witnessed it was “clearly shocked and upset by the nastiness, which was very threatening.”
Team USA has not exactly handled its loss in France with class, as Patrick Reed also ripped into Jordan Spieth for not wanting to pair with him and criticized Team USA captain Jim Furyk for benching him in the afternoon on the first day. Reed has an excellent record at the Ryder Cup and felt like he was put in a position to fail this year.
Between the Ryder Cup altercation and some of the rumors that have been swirling about his relationship with Gretzky, Johnson seems to be making headlines for a lot more than just his golf swing lately.
