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Brooks Koepka makes eagle putt on No. 12 at THE CJ CUP
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Written by Paul Hodowanic
The honeymoon period is in full effect for Brooks Koepka at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson.
Debuting a new putter at TPC Craig Ranch this week, Koepka putted the lights out en route to an 8-under 63 that had him leading after the early wave finished on Thursday morning.
Koepka was fourth in Strokes Gained: Putting, gaining more than two strokes on the greens. It’s Koepka’s lowest score this season.
“Finally, I felt good with the putter,” Koepka said afterward.
It’s been a frustrating, inconsistent year on the greens, highlighted by a revolving door of putters. This new putter – a Scotty Cameron Fastback 1.5 – is the fourth different putter Koepka has used this season. His deficiencies on the greens have only been amplified by the fact that his ball-striking has been remarkable. Yet he has not been able to capitalize on the strength because the putting devolved into such an issue. He ranks 141st in putting this season.
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Brooks Koepka on biggest change since rejoining PGA TOUR
“I felt good the last few days with it when I was working in my studio,” Koepka said. Then, when I got here, it felt very comfortable. Rick said the same thing from watching. Which also kind of helps build a little confidence, what you feel versus the reality of it. Just happy with the way everything went today.”
That’s quite a different tune from Koepka’s recent comments and play. He has managed five top 20s, but has been unable to truly contend as the putter has struggled. He finished T55 at the PGA Championship last week.
Koepka detailed his extensive prep for this tournament in his Tuesday press conference. Much of the work came in his “putting studio,” which he described as a little warehouse in his home. He dropped his son off at school on Monday, went into the putting studio to test several different options, and didn’t come out until he had to pick his son up.
That work paid off on Thursday. Koepka holed a 17-foot birdie on his second hole of the round, the 11th, then fully jump-started his day with a 13-foot eagle putt on the 12th. He holed four putts outside 10 feet and was dialed in with his pace. He navigated the 18 holes in 25 putts. Koepka made six birdies and an eagle and kept bogeys off the card. His highest stress moment came at the ninth, his last hole of the day, forced to get up-and-down for par. Koepka spun his pitch shot to 3 feet and converted the putt.
Brooks Koepka rolls in birdie on No. 11 at THE CJ CUP
“It just kind of saved the round,” Koepka said. “Bogey-free is always a big confidence booster.”
Time will tell if the confidence remains and the putter sticks in the bag. It’s not uncommon for golfers to start hot with a new club, only to fade when the initial honeymoon period wears off.
Koepka began the year with his traditional Scotty Cameron blade putter. He switched to a TaylorMade mallet model for the WM Phoenix Open after his first week back on TOUR. That remained in the bag until the PGA Championship last week, when he switched into a different version of the TaylorMade mallet. That experiment lasted just a week. The Scotty Cameron mallet he played on Thursday is similar to a previous putter he used last fall.
Those familiar feels were welcome during Thursday’s first round.
