PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka is set to make his fourth appearance on the PGA Tour this season at The Players, marking his first competition against most of the tour’s elite players.
Due to his participation in non-signature events as part of the PGA Tour’s Returning Member Program, the former LIV Golf League captain has had to observe limited-field tournaments, such as last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, from a distance.
“I mean, you would like to be there last week, but I understand those are the consequences of my decisions,” Koepka stated on Tuesday at TPC Sawgrass. “I’m a big boy, I understand that. So, I got to sit at home and watch, and the answer to everything is play good golf and everything will take care of itself.”
Since rejoining the PGA Tour on January 12, Koepka’s performances have varied. He finished tied for 56th at 4 under in his initial tournament at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines near San Diego on January 29, followed by a missed cut the following week after scoring 76-69 at the WM Phoenix Open.
Koepka, 35, felt he experienced a breakthrough, albeit against a less competitive field, during the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches on March 1. He recorded a 6-under 65 in the final round after transitioning from a blade putter to a Spider model that week.
“I think the first week was just trying to get that out of the way,” Koepka remarked. “Then the second week, I felt like it was very disappointing. Made a few changes [with a] new putter, just working on a few different mechanical things in the putting. [I] felt like it started to click, I guess.”
While unable to participate in the API, Koepka took part in the Seminole Pro-Member at Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Florida. He later traveled to Orlando, Florida, to continue his putting practice with his caddie, Ricky Elliott.
“I think with that change there’s been a lot of mechanical changes as well,” Koepka noted regarding the putter switch. “I would say it’s definitely that the mechanical issues are the tougher parts of it. But I mean, if you look at it, the face rotation on the Spider is a little less than it was with the blade. Just looking for a little bit more consistency.”
Koepka expressed gratitude for the reception he has received from fans and fellow PGA Tour players since his return.
“I didn’t know what to expect, but the fans have been great,” he said. “I’m still getting ‘welcome back’ as of yesterday, so I mean, it’s a good feeling. It feels good to be back. I’m enjoying it. It’s a lot of fun, and the players have been great, too.”
Even some golfers who gained opportunities after his departure to the LIV Golf League have expressed their thanks for the openings in tournament fields.
“I think every week somebody’s thanked me, which has been kind of weird,” Koepka remarked.
Koepka will aim to carry that momentum into The Players, where he has yet to achieve a top-10 finish in six attempts. He missed the cut in his last appearance on the Stadium Course, scoring 72-81 in 2022.
One aspect Koepka likely did not miss was the renowned 17th green at TPC Sawgrass.
That year, after inclement weather postponed the second round, Koepka faced the par-3 17th with a 35-mph wind against him when play resumed on Saturday. His initial attempt with an 8-iron fell significantly short of the island green and landed in the water. He recorded a triple-bogey 6, following a double-bogey 5 in the first round.
“That 17th hole has gotten me over the years,” Koepka said. “I’ve played good rounds here; that’s just kind of the one bugaboo that always gets me.”
In 20 career rounds on the Stadium Course, Koepka is 20 over par on the 17th. He has tallied two bogeys, three doubles, two triples, and two quadruple-bogey 7s. He has hit the island green only 55% of the time and has sent 10 balls into the water.
“I don’t think about it. It doesn’t haunt me,” Koepka stated. “I mean, my friends, they give me a bunch of crap about it. My friends bust my chops about it pretty good. So, I mean, it’s all fun and games. Then I just got to go out and go do it.”
Koepka did manage to find the 17th green during a practice round on Monday.
“I was pretty pumped about that,” he said.
