World No.1's hilarious excuse for Tiger Woods snub

If you’re going to big-time Tiger Woods, you better have a good excuse. Either that, or you do what Brooks Koepka did and quote Allen Iverson.

Things got awkward Tuesday after Woods said Koepka ignored one of his texts. Woods texted Koepka about playing a practice round together, but Koepka never got back to Woods.

"I texted 'Brooksie', congratulations on another great finish. What he's done in the last four major championships has been just unbelievable. To be so consistent, so solid," Woods said.

"And I said, 'Hey, dude, do you mind if I tag along and play a practice round? I've heard nothing'," he said with a grin.

When asked about the snub, Koepka hit Woods with the golf version of Iverson's “we talking about practice” quote.

Turns out, Koepka only practices before majors. If it’s a regular tournament, he doesn’t practice.

“If you see me on TV, that’s when I play golf,” the World No.1 insisted.

While some may quibble with Koepka’s approach, it has worked out for him. He’s finished either first or second at the Masters, PGA Championship and U.S. Open in 2019.

Not surprisingly, Koepka believes he has a "big advantage" with his trusted bagman Ricky Elliott's "inside info" adding to his already formidable weaponry.

A winner in four of his past nine major championship appearances and runner-up in two others, Koepka is the most dominant force in golf since Woods in his pomp at the turn of the century.

But the American's even more confident this week, particularly with Elliot by his side.

Koepka’s secret weapon

Elliott was a promising young amateur player, winning the Ulster Boys' and Ulster Youths' Championships, but struggled when he turned professional and switched to caddying in the US.

But he remains a well-known figure in Portrush and, while he has spent the past six years travelling the world on Koepka's bag, his parents Pat and Martha still live in the town and his brother Peter is the owner of a golf shop in nearby Coleraine.

The Open is being held at Portrush for the second time - 68 years after the only other occasion the Northern Ireland venue held the major.

That means few players have the intimate knowledge of the links course that Elliott possesses.

"Luckily my caddie has played this golf course I can't tell you how many times, so that's a big advantage," said Koepka, whose best finishes in five Open showings have been equal 10th at St Andrews in 2015 and a tied for sixth two years ago at Birkdale.

"Every hole I just step up on, (I say): 'You tell me what to do, you've played it more than anybody.' So just let him figure it out."

Koepka may have won four majors in the last two years, including a second straight PGA Championship at Bethpage Black in May, but he said the large crowds at practice have been more focused on his hired help.

"I probably hear more, 'Ricky! Hey, Ricky, what's going on?' than anything. I'm sure he'll have quite a bit of friends and family out. It will be a special week for him, for sure," he said.

It would be even more special if he happened to pick up the bonus for Koepka's first Open win.

"There would be nothing cooler," Koepka said.

"Put it this way, I don't think when he grew up that he ever thought there would be an Open Championship here. And to top it off, I don't think he ever thought he'd be a part of it.

"And to be caddying and to be able to win one here would be - he'd be a legend, wouldn't he? He already is."

With Yahoo Sports US/AAP