Koepka trying to find answers
It could be worse for world No. 3 and Florida State alum Brooks Koepka.
Koepka is struggling lately, but certainly not as much as his favorite college football team. The recent hire of Mike Norvell might be a step forward for the Seminoles, but Koepka said it’s the first of many.
After opening with an even-par 72 Thursday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational Thursday, Koepka hopes his golf game is a lot closer to coming around.
“They got a longer way to go than I do,” he quipped when asked about the Seminoles. “They got a longer way. They have got a few years. Hopefully mine doesn’t take that long.”
Looking to find some answers, Koepka decided to tee it up this week at Bay Hill Club and Lodge only after he missed the cut at last week’s Honda Classic, staged just up the road from his native West Palm Beach.
“I wasn’t going to be here,” he said. “I’m trying to figure it out. So it’s close. It’s not far away.”
Koepka, 29, has not found his form since stem cell surgery to his left knee in August.
Earlier this year on the European Tour, Koepka tied for 34th at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and tied for 17th at the Saudi International. Other than the Honda Classic, Koepka’s only PGA Tour start was the Genesis Invitational, where he tied for 43rd following a 3-over par 74 in the final round.
Those are not the results anyone expects from a fourtime major champion, least of all Koepka.
“It’s not far off,” he said. “But it’s still, it’s annoying.”
Koepka will now have to play solidly during Friday’s second round to miss consecutive cuts for the first time since the winter of 2017.
Molinari withdraws: Italy’s Francesco Molinari will not defend his 2019 title at the Arnold Palmer Invitational after withdrawing from Thursday’s opening round due to a back injury.
Molinari had aimed to rediscover his form this week at Bay Hill Club and Lodge, site of a two-shot victory last March and his third PGA Tour win.
Molinari has missed the cut in three of four starts on Tour this season, continuing his struggles since last April’s back-nine collapse at the Masters.
Kyoung-Hoon Lee replaced Molinari in the 120-player field. Lee shot even-par 72 on Thursday.