Brooks Koepka: I will definitely win Open Championship at St Andrews

Brooks Koepka speaks to the media ahead of the inagural Saudi International at Royal Greens Golf Course in King Abdullah Economic City. Picture: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

And the American strongly fancies his chances of claiming the Claret Jug when the game’s oldest major returns to St Andrews in 2021.

“I feel very confident about the British Open,” Koepka told The Scotsman as he prepared to join a star-studded line up for the inaugural Saudi International at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club.

“I like links golf. I think it’s fun. I see so many different shots. I see so many ways to be creative I’m very creative in my mind. I see a bunch of different things.”

Koepka made his major breakthrough when landing the 2017 US Open before making a successful defence of that title and also winning the US PGA Championship last year.

He’s recorded two top-10 finishes in five appearances in the Open Championship while joint-11th in 2017 is his best effort so far in The Masters.

“I remember coming over to Scotland when I was maybe 12 or 13, somewhere around that age, and playing Carnoustie, St Andrews, a bunch of different places and just kind of fell in love,” added the world No 2.

“Now that I get to come over a couple times a year and play links golf, it’s something that the more and more I play it, the more and more I love it. I feel very confident around St Andrews. I feel like I’ll definitely win one there.

“That would be the one that I would pick probably before Augusta. Whether it’s just the first major, I really haven’t ever been healthy going into Augusta.

“I’ve played it three times, I believe, and two of the times I haven’t been fresh, and the other one I was hurt. But healthy around that place, you never know.”

Koepka will be playing for the first time in Ireland when he tees up in this year’s Open Championship at Royal Portush - but he’s hoping some local knowledge can help him get in the mix.

“Ricky Elliott, my caddie, is from Portrush, so that’s an added bonus,” he said. “I know he’s probably more excited than I am to go back. I think it will be good for him. He’ll have the homecoming and it will be cool to see.

“I’ve never been to Ireland, so I’m looking forward to that. It’s crazy how many countries I’ve been to and that’s one place I’ve never been to. I think it will be fun. I’ve heard great things about the golf course, so I’m looking forward to going there.”