Brooks Koepka, the Florida-born golf superstar, already boasts five Major championships, but his ambitions stretch much further. At 34, Koepka is determined to double his tally, setting his sights on joining the elite company of Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Walter Hagen as one of the few players with 10 Major victories.

Koepka’s Major journey began in 2017 with a victory at the U.S. Open, a title he successfully defended the following year. He then added back-to-back PGA Championship wins in 2018 and 2019. His fifth Major came in 2023, but the road to that triumph was anything but smooth, marked by close calls and the mental challenges of sustaining excellence at the sport’s highest level.

Reflecting on his career during an interview with LIV Golf ambassador Rick Shiels, Koepka opened up about the struggles he faced after reaching World No. 1 in 2018. He admitted that achieving the top ranking left him momentarily directionless until he found new motivation: the quest to secure 10 Major titles.

“I think that’s very attainable,” Koepka shared. “I’ve said it a few times, I should have eight, realistically, right now. I handed Phil [Mickelson] one on a silver platter, blew Augusta to Tiger [Woods] in 2019, and gave one to Jon [Rahm].”

Koepka’s regret over the 2023 Masters is particularly poignant. Entering the final round with a two-shot lead over Rahm, Koepka was poised to claim his third different Major title. However, a disappointing final round 75 allowed Rahm to surge ahead and capture his first Green Jacket.

For the first time, Koepka candidly revealed what went wrong. “I wanted it so bad, that was the problem. I got so focused on winning Augusta that I couldn’t take my own advice. I got ahead of myself, lost focus, and it snowballed.”

The aftermath was a period of deep reflection. Koepka stayed up late with his best friend, dissecting every shot and mental lapse from that fateful round. This introspection proved invaluable, as he bounced back to win the very next Major, the PGA Championship at Oak Hill.

“Winning the PGA after blowing The Masters was probably the coolest thing in my career,” Koepka admitted. “It meant so much because I had just experienced that failure. But I learned from it, and that’s a success. Without that loss, I don’t think I would’ve won the PGA.”

Koepka views his runner-up finishes not as failures but as crucial learning experiences. “Every time I go to Augusta now, I approach it like any other tournament. You add up the scorecard, see where you stand, and control what you can. That mindset shift has made all the difference.”

With 21 professional victories and a relentless drive, Koepka’s pursuit of 10 Majors is far from over. If his resilience and ability to learn from setbacks are any indication, his goal might be more attainable than it seems.