PONTE VEDRA BEACH — Statistically, Brooks Koepka seems close to putting it all together. Mentally, he knows he could be just a little bit sharper.
Unfortunately, a brief loss of focus late in Friday’s second round, or, a “spell,” as Koepka referred to it, on Saturday, might be the difference between winning and a run-of-the-mill top-10 finish at TPC Sawgrass this week. Yes, he’s played well enough to win, but a bogey-double bogey-double bogey stretch, which began at the 12th hole on Friday, cost him a legitimate chance on Sunday.
“I feel fine, playing good, playing nicely” Koepka said after a third-round 68 put him among the top 20 as afternoon play continued. “Maybe just lost focus yesterday for, I don’t know, 30 to 40 minutes. That’s what happens when you don’t really focus on every shot out here, especially around that stretch. I’ve struggled on 12 all week.”
That he has. Earlier in the week, Koepka said the par-3 17th was the reason he’s struggled at this golf tournament over the years. He’s parred it all three days this time around. As for the short par-4 12th, one of only five holes that are playing under par, Koepka has made bogey five every single day.
Looking at the underlying stats, things are looking up for the five-time major champion, an encouraging sign with the Masters at Augusta National looming in one month’s time. For the week Koepka is top 10 in the field in strokes-gained/approach, and the putting has come a long way since that disastrous season debut on the greens at Torrey Pines.
Koepka will play Valspar next week and likely the Texas Children’s Houston Open the week after at Memorial Park, a course he helped Tom Doak redesign in 2019.
“I’m excited, like I said, I’m playing really good,” he said. “I’m flighting the ball with the irons, wedges feel like they’re under control, putting, I’ve made the improvements that you need to make over the last two weeks. It’s only just starting, but I’ve seen a lot of progress, I feel like I’m hitting lines that I need to. Maybe need to do a little more speed work, just touch things up.
“But everything feels good, I’m pretty pleased with it. I wish yesterday didn’t happen, 30-minute spell, but that’s golf.”
