Brooks Koepka finished tied for 56th in the Farmers Insurance Open, marking his first appearance on the PGA Tour since making the switch back from LIV Golf.
The 35-year-old American made his anticipated return to the PGA Tour at the Farmers Insurance Open this past week, drawing significant attention at Torrey Pines.
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Koepka’s history at Torrey Pines has not been particularly strong, and, given his recent form on LIV Golf, few expected him to be near the top of the leaderboard.
Nonetheless, his presence drew plenty of attention throughout the week.
Brooks Koepka’s surprise shows at the Farmers Insurance Open
Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images
The next few months will be fascinating as we observe Koepka’s performance. His return to peak form would undoubtedly provide a significant boost to the PGA Tour, given his status as one of the finest competitors golf has ever seen.
But from what we have seen so far, the five-time major winner appears to have changed quite a bit since his last stint on tour.
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Rex Hoggard spoke about this on the Golf Channel Podcast, saying he was caught off guard by how Koepka came across before his comeback.
“I think the positive was, first, the press conference on Tuesday. He won the press conference, we use it all the time when talking about football coaches, but I do believe Brooks sat in that chair and did what he had to do. He took the hard questions and showed a level of contrition that I admitted I didn’t think he had,” he stated.
“Let’s face it, the player that left the PGA Tour in 2022, I don’t think anybody was going to say is contrite. I didn’t think that was going to be one of the 14 clubs in his bag, and he did a really good job in that press conference and the rest of the week.
“He had a really good interview with Todd Lewis following his round on Thursday. I think some of the things he said following his round on Thursday were even more interesting.
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“He was asked point blank why he was nervous for that first round. And it was really because, ‘I care, because I care about not just playing well, not just being back on the PGA Tour, but I care about what people think about me’. That’s not the guy that left the PGA Tour.”
Brooks Koepka’s mixed bag at Torrey Pines shows room for growth
There were a few encouraging signs in Koepka’s play at Torrey Pines.
He gained strokes with his approach shots and short game, but found it difficult to keep up off the tee and on the greens.
Koepka spoke openly about feeling uneasy with his putting on the poa annua surfaces, and that uncertainty showed up in his scorecard, as he could not capitalise on some of the chances he created.
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On a brighter note, he heads into the WM Phoenix Open with reasons to be hopeful. He has already won twice at TPC Scottsdale.
A third title there would certainly be a statement, especially this early in his return.
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