Brooks Koepka posted a one-over-par 73 in his return to the PGA Tour at the Farmers Insurance Open on Thursday.
Koepka didn’t record a birdie until his final hole, finishing the day tied for 98th. His round may not have turned heads, but given how tough the South Course at Torrey Pines can be, it was still a solid showing.
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Brooks Koepka shares his reaction to Patrick Reed’s departure from LIV Golf
Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images
Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, while Reed won’t be eligible for another seven months. But the move by the five-time major winner has certainly caught attention.
He spoke about it after his opening round at the Farmers Insurance Open, where he was asked how he reacted to the news of Reed leaving LIV Golf.
Koepka said: “Yeah, saw it on — I was with Jeff Pierce on 2 and he just kind of stopped in the fairway and asked me if I saw it.
“I’m like no, I’m out here on the golf course, my phone’s in the bag, so I didn’t see anything.
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Brooks Koepka on his farmers insurance Open return: “I’ve fallen back in love with the game”
He was asked after his round to share how he felt about the state of his game. “I felt like it was pretty good,” Koepka replied.
“I struck it really well. Like I said, the driver wasn’t — I didn’t hit enough fairways. If I was able to get to the back of the ball, I felt like I hit a good quality shot. Didn’t really make any putts besides 18 right there.
“Yeah, it felt good. It’s been a while since I played competitive golf, so I like the way I’m playing, I just need to kind of play my way into it.”
Asked if nerves played a part in his return at Torrey Pines, Koepka didn’t hesitate.
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“Yeah, yeah, I definitely was,” he said. “I hit the fairway. I guess I should have been more nervous the rest of the round.”
He went on to explain what brought those nerves back in his return round.
“Just because I care,” he said simply. “I think I’ve fallen back in love with the game.”
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