AUGUSTA (Ga.) Brooks Koepka was in a difficult spot when Greg Norman, LIV, offered him more than $100 Million of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign fund. This was about a year ago.
This likely made it easier for him to leave the PGA Tour and all he had hoped to do as a child. After missing the cut at Masters, Koepka tried to smash the back window of the car twice.
One year later. Koepka is now saying he is close to being the man who dominated Major Golf for more than a 2-year period. He may regret his decision to join a league where Cameron Smith, one of its most prominent players, acknowledged that the fields aren’t up to PGA Tour standards.
Koepka shot a bogey-free score of 67 at the Masters on Friday, which puts him at 12 under on leaderboard. Second-round play was suspended into the weekend and Koepka was asked whether it would have been harder to join LIV if he had felt so good last year.
Koepka stated, “Honestly, yes, probably,” if I’m completely honest. It would have been, I think. But, I am happy with the choice I made.
Masters Leaderboard Live leaderboard schedule, tee times
Is he really happy with this decision?
Some of his comments are filled with regret. He admits that he doesn’t like competing against Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy, and when he plays as he did the first two days at Augusta National.
Except for Smith and Dustin Johnson, no one on the LIV tour can approach Koepka at his best.
“I see these guys down at The Grove all of the time. I see the Medalist guys. Koepka, a Florida resident, said that he sees guys out and about practising.” “I believe there are probably six of us who live within a quarter of a mile of each other,” said Koepka. We end up running into one another quite often.
It’s not competitive where they are playing against you. Because Rory should play at his best, Scottie his best, and Jon Rahm his best to go toe-to toe with them. That’s the one thing I miss about these majors.
A tap-in birdie on No. Brooks Koepka extends his lead to 15. #themasters pic.twitter.com/Nn7TCRyNFV
— The Masters (@TheMasters), April 7, 2023
Koepka is certainly not up against that type of competition on the LIV tour.
Koepka is primarily playing against rubber.
What is this Masters Koepka to lose?
If Koepka’s game is as sharp as it is now, it would be hard to find anyone who believes he would play 54-hole events in shorts and be captaining Smash GC.
Koepka’s confidence is so much improved in the last year, it’s difficult to imagine a leaderboard without him near the top or as the final group walks up the 18th fairway on Sunday.
It’s not easy to imagine him trying to smash the Mercedes-Benz back window with his fist.
He recalled the lowest point of his professional career, saying that he tried twice to pass it through the back window. “The first time didn’t work, so I decided to try again.
“I think Mercedes makes a pretty great back window.”
Koepka is down to one bogey after 36 holes. It was due to a bad tee shot at No. He was forced to play an unplayable lie on Thursday at 13 He also has 11 birdies and an Eagle. He was able to play the par-5s in 5 under on Friday, including the eagle at No. 8.
Gary Woodland, who was playing with Koepka for the first round, said that it was a 36-hole clinic.
Woodland stated that Koepka won the 2018 PGA Championship and they were in the final group at Bellerive. “Just in control his game.”
Koepka has returned to the same mission that saw him win two PGA Championships as well as two U.S. Opens. In a little over two years, Koepka won four Opens. He is only halfway to a career Grand Slam, despite having four majors.
He would be the British Open’s only man to win the Masters, completing the feat that just five other men have accomplished.
“Goal is to win Grand Slam”
He said, “The Grand Slam is the ultimate goal.” “I feel like all the greats won here, and they all won British Opens.” It’s just one more thing I have to check to feel that I’ve accomplished what I should in this game.
Rahm, Collin Morikawa, Amateur Sam Bennett, and Viktor Hovland are the closest Masters leaders to Koepka. Rahm was at 9 under on Thursday after playing nine holes before play was stopped for the day. Bennett finished his round at 8 under.
Brooks Koepka takes the 18th hole up during the second round at the 2023 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. (Photo by Rob Schumacher/USA TODAY).
Weather could prove to be a major obstacle on Saturday.
After playing 36 holes in humid, warm conditions, the weather changed Friday afternoon. Saturday’s forecast is for temperatures to drop more than 30 degrees into low 50s with lots of rain.
This might not be enough for a man who has had his knee repaired and needs to continue to receive rehab to reduce swelling.
Koepka doesn’t think the weather will affect his knee. With the right preparation, it’s possible.
He said, “I do a good warm-up.” “I will probably go to the gym in morning. I’ll be fine. I will be more relaxed. “… I don’t expect much.”
Nothing, except getting one step closer towards the Grand Slam.
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By: Tom D’Angelo
Title: Would Brooks Koepka, who leads Masters by three shots after two days, have joined LIV Golf if his game was this good?
Sourced From: golfweek.usatoday.com/2023/04/07/brooks-koepka-leads-masters-three-shots-liv-golf/
Published Date: Fri, 07 Apr 2023 22:20:08 +0000
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