Koepka: It’s my time

Brooks koepka gathered his team on the practice ground here on Monday for a rallying cry at the end of his three-month break following knee surgery.

‘I told them that I’m fit and rededicating myself to golf,’ said the world No 1. ‘over the next five years, I really want to leave my stamp on the game.’

The 29- year- old Floridian certainly made an impressive start with a bogey-free 66 in the first round of the abu Dhabi HsBC Championship yesterday.

as choice examples of ‘remember me?’ go, this one was surely heard halfway round the world in Florida, the home of rory McIlroy, who took a big bite out of koepka’s lead in the world rankings during the latter’s absence.

‘I don’t know if this sends out a message, but I know what I want to achieve,’ added koepka. ‘I expected to play well because I’d seen good signs in practice. You don’t forget how to swing a club just because you haven’t done so for 12 weeks.’

on the day stringent slow-play rules were introduced, it seemed appropriate that one of the joint leaders on 64 was Italian renato paratore, who might be the quickest player in the game.

He shares top spot with south african shaun Norris, with koepka and australian Jason scrivener tied third. Teenage debutant Josh Hill struck a perfect drive down the first, a wedge to close range, and knocked in the birdie putt.

alas, the 15-year-old englishman wobbled round the turn and struggled in the gathering breeze before closing as he began, with a birdie. The surrey youngster signed for an eminently respectable 74.