Justin Thomas cracks joke at Brooks Koepka's expense after Ryder Cup defeat
Justin Thomas and Team USA cracked jokes at the expense of LIV Golf's Brooks Koepka in aftermath of their Ryder Cup defeat in Rome.
Justin Thomas couldn't immediately point to a reason why Team USA lost the Ryder Cup in Rome.
That will come later. For now, Team USA will lick their wounds, get some rest and get ready to go for the 2023-2024 PGA Tour season.
In the immediate aftermath of defeat it was clear Thomas and his 11 teammates were hurting.
But they were still in good spirits in their press conference after a brutal week at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club.
Patrick Cantlay was asked about his hat. Of course he was. "I feel like I've answered so many questions about it," he said.
There's another rumour floating around. The real reason why he didn't wear one was not because it didn't fit but because he didn't want a tan line.
Cantlay is marrying his long-term partner Nikki Guidish today. "I'm very excited about it," he said before his teammates burst into applause.
Was that the reason why he didn't wear a cap? Cantlay, finger-jabbing the journalist who asked the question, said: "Did you read it on Twitter?
"Yeah, you did!"
The journalist informed Cantlay he'd heard that story on the radio via Xander Schauffele's father.
"I'd like to apologise on behalf of my father," Schauffele offered.
Cantlay joked: "Would you like to keep asking more questions about the hat?"
Whilst captain Zach Johnson also struggled to think of a reason for USA's defeat, he reaffirmed it wasn't down to a lack of team spirit.
There were rumours of a split, led by Cantlay, but that report has been blasted as 'outright lies' by the golfer and 'extremely poor journalism' by Johnson.
Thomas, too, paid tribute to his teammates.
"There's usually a couple misfits or people that just aren't a part of the team, but we all were one," said Thomas.
Koepka said: "I said it before the event, I thought this was the closest team that I think I've been on.
"We've got a great group of guys. This week, they just holed a lot more putts, a few more chip-ins. This team, we fought hard, and wouldn't want to do it with another group of guys."
Thomas couldn't help but joke:
"Yeah," said Koepka. "It was exciting to see everybody. I felt like I had not seen the guys in a few months."
Referencing LIV Golf, Johnson joked: "That's cause he had a baby, right?"
Thomas offered: "Living it up with the baby."
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