BROOKLINE, Mass. — As Brooks Koepka strode down the primary fairway on a moist Friday morning, one fan shouted his approval of the golfer’s clothes.
“It’s an amazing day to put on white, Brooks. It’s sizzling out right here,” the fan yelled. “Keep cool child however don’t be afraid to get sizzling.”
Koepka, sporting a white shirt, navy slacks and a pale inexperienced cap within the second spherical of the U.S. Open, heeded the fan’s recommendation, rebounding from a gap spherical 73 to publish a three-under-par 67.
That put him at even par after two rounds and in a well-recognized place — inside placing distance of the lead heading into the weekend on the Nation Membership. Koepka had made the reduce in his final seven U.S. Opens and completed no worse than tied for 18th.
Koepka, who received the U.S. Open in 2017 with a rating of 16 below par, and received once more in 2018, speaks nearly paternalistically concerning the Open. His schedule this season has been tilted towards the majors — these are the one occasions he has performed since late March — and he appears to thrive on the challenges introduced by this explicit match.
“I like this occasion,” he stated. “This occasion has at all times been good to me.”
It’s onerous to argue in any other case. Koepka is probably the most profitable U.S. Open participant of the final decade.
Nobody else within the 156-man discipline has received two U.S. Opens. The final 4 occasions he has performed the match — he missed the Open in 2020 due to knee and hip accidents — he has two victories, in 2017 and 2018, a second-place end in 2019 and a tie for fourth in 2021, finishes which have earned Koepka greater than $6 million. In these 4 occasions, solely 4 gamers — Gary Woodland, Jon Rahm, Louis Oosthuizen and Harris English, have completed forward of Koepka.
“That’s fairly cool,” Koepka stated, whereas including, “I want it was much less.”
He’s one among solely seven gamers to win consecutive U.S. Opens; the final to do it earlier than Koepka was Curtis Unusual in 1988 and 1989.
However given his lack of match play this 12 months, it was troublesome to foretell how nicely the 32-year-old, four-time main champion — he had back-to-back PGA Championship victories in 2018 and 2019 — would fare. He missed the reduce on the Masters. And he attributed his underwhelming efficiency on the PGA Championship in Could — a tie for fifty fifth — to focusing extra on his upcoming wedding.
“I used to be ready for that occasion,” he stated of the weeklong celebration in early June in Turks and Caicos.
Afterward, Koepka retreated to his house in Jupiter, Fla., labored for 4 days along with his caddie, Ricky Elliott, and dismissed any speak of rustiness from his layoff when he arrived on the Nation Membership.
“I’ve had numerous different stuff occurring,” he stated. “Typically, look, golf is nice and all and I adore it however on the similar time, I’ve bought different stuff I love to do. The marriage was a giant factor. Now it’s over with and I can go and play golf.”
He grew to become irritated with reporters at his pretournament information convention on Tuesday, chiding them for asking him and different golfers questions concerning the LIV Golf Worldwide collection, the Saudi-financed insurgent golf tour that has lured stars like Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson with huge paydays. The tour will play its second occasion, one among 5 in the USA, close to Portland, Ore., starting on June 30.
Koepka’s star energy and penchant for downtime make him a really perfect goal for the upstart tour, which to date has introduced eight, 54-hole occasions with shotgun begins, no reduce and big purses even for the last-place finishers. (Gamers who’ve resigned their PGA Tour membership, or been suspended from the Tour, as a result of they joined the LIV Golf collection, can nonetheless play the 4 main tournaments that aren’t run by the PGA Tour, though that would change.)
Koepka, ranked nineteenth on the earth, additionally may command a hefty signing bonus. Mickelson has been reported to have obtained as a lot as $200 million and Johnson as a lot as $150 million to affix LIV Golf, which is funded by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. Koepka’s brother, Chase, performs on the tour.
“I’m right here. I’m right here on the U.S. Open,” Brooks Koepka stated when requested about LIV Golf. “You’re all throwing this black cloud over the U.S. Open. I’m uninterested in all these items.”
A Fast Information to the LIV Golf Sequence
A brand new collection. The brand new Saudi-financed, controversy-trailed LIV Golf collection held its first occasion in June. However what’s it? Who’s taking part in it? What’s all of the hubbub, and how are you going to watch it? Right here’s what to know:
Koepka bought off to an inauspicious begin in his favourite match. His first-round 73 left him at three over par and in a tie for 79th place when his day started on Friday. It matched the second-worst spherical he has shot over the past seven U.S. Opens. Twice, he opened with a 75. On a type of events, in 2018 at Shinnecock Hills, he rallied to win the match.
In his first time taking part in on the Nation Membership, Koepka had three birdies and 6 bogeys, together with three straight on his again 9. An identical efficiency within the second spherical would have seemingly left Koepka packing for house. However he would have none of it.
A protracted birdie putt on the troublesome third gap had him one below par for the day after 9 holes. It may have been even higher. He missed makable birdie putts on the primary, seventh and eighth holes. After a bogey on No. 10, he responded with birdies on the subsequent two holes, and an eagle on No. 14. He missed a brief putt for par on No. 15 however made par on the ultimate three holes.
Koepka lamented what he known as his poor iron play. “That’s often the strongest a part of my recreation,” he stated. He promised a fast repair. He drove the ball fantastically and served discover to the remainder of the sphere that he deliberate to be round and in rivalry this weekend.
“I don’t come right here hoping for second place,” he stated. “I feel if you’re a great participant, you wish to are available right here and win. That’s why all people is teeing it up.
He continued, “No person has a objective of simply making the reduce or something like that. I imply, I’m fairly assured, however I really feel like all people needs to be assured in themselves, and should you’re not — folks hate confidence. That’s why folks aren’t a giant fan of me.”
