Brooks Koepka finally has a tee time. And a wonderful idea
Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young and the world's top-ranked golfers are in Charlotte this week, qualifying for the Truist Championship with a $20 million purse on the line. And 175 miles away, Brooks Koepka is at Myrtle Beach, an event opposite the field, playing for a purse one-fifth that size.
Don't feel bad for the guys at the Myrtle Beach Classic, where a win is still worth 300 FedExCup points and a two-year exemption from the PGA Tour. But it's worth pointing out Koepka actually you have tee time this week, a move that hasn't been a guarantee lately. The Myrtle Beach Classic will be his first stroke play event since the Masters (he also played the Zurich Classic) – though not for lack of trying.
At Harbor Town for the RBC Heritage, Koepka waited to enter as one but his name was not called. The same thing happened last week at the Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral, but again, no dice.
“When you're sitting on Wednesday and Thursday practicing, watching everybody play, it's not that fun,” Koepka said Wednesday at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club in South Carolina. “I'm itching to play. I don't care where I play as long as I have a chance to put it together here; I'm very happy and grateful for the opportunity.”
It's the life of Koepka, who returned to the PGA Tour this year with the Returning Member Program after 3 1/2 years at LIV Golf. His World Ranking suffered while at LIV – the league didn't receive points until this season – and according to his contract he is not allowed to accept sponsors' invitations to Signature events. Instead he has to rely on playing well and improving his quality to get in.
“Listen, the way I look at it, I'm itching to go in, but I accept where I am, and I understand that there are prices that I have to pay when I come back, and I'm willing to accept those and whatever I have to do,” said Koepka. “I knew that this year it would be a challenge even to enter [Signature Events]. I thought maybe the US Open, but knowing that I'm already knocking on the door is a good thing. The answer to everything is to play better, and you're in.”
Koepka you have he played well this year. He has cut both his FedEx Cup ranking (63rd) and World Ranking (127th) within four months. He finished in the top 20 four times and had strong showings at the Players Championship (T13) and the Masters (T12).
He's 36 in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and third in Approach, which helped make up for a struggling putter (141st).
“I feel like I played better than my results,” Koepka said. “I knew the first few weeks were going to be a change. Then there's an adjustment in the way the golf courses are set up. So I have to understand that and go through and find some things, it's a lot different. And then I come back, the first two weeks were more nervous than anything. Then it's a matter of getting comfortable with the golf courses, seeing that there are different things playing in the yard. There's a little adjustment there.”
Up on the beach at Trump National DC, members of LIV Golf talk about the uncertain future of their league and their future as players. Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton said Tuesday they still have several years left on their contracts. Bryson DeChambeau said he hasn't released golf on YouTube yet. Koepka has already left the league and knows what his future holds.
On Wednesday, the word “opportunity” means four times. He hopes to make the most of them, and has more to come as well. Later this week, he heads to Pennsylvania for the PGA Championship, a tournament he has won three times. Then it's off to Texas for the CJ Cup.
“When I come back, I've said it before or at the beginning of the year, I want to go back to being the best player I can be and try to give myself the opportunity to see those dreams come true,” said Koepka. Whether they are fulfilled or not, who knows? But I will give it my all for at least the next 10 years.
