Iffy start for Koepka title defense
2 double bogeys, bumpy back 9 mar West Palm Beach native’s first round.
West Palm Beach native and Cardinal Newman High graduate Brooks Koepka struggled on the back nine Thursday in the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday and began defense of his first major title by posting a 5-over 75 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y.
Koepka’s round was hurt by two double bogeys, including on the par-4, 536-yard 14th hole. Koepka made the turn at 1 over, but was 4 over on the back. Even with his struggles, Koepka is not completely out of contention after Shinnecock,
one of the toughest sites on the list of traditional U.S. Open courses,
played even tougher on a windy day. Koepka is six shots behind after just
four players broke par Thursday — Dustin Johnson, Russell Henley, Scott Piercy and Ian Poulter — who are tied for the lead at 1 under.
“Obviously, it’s really tough. The wind’s blowing about as hard as it
can,” Koepka told Reuters after his round. “The pin locations are pretty tough. Sometimes you’re having to aim outside the fairway. If the wind’s off to the left, you’re aiming outside into the left rough. And if you just pull it and turn it with the wind, you’re into the left rough.”
Koepka, who also played at Florida State, began his day with a long birdie on the par4, 407-yard first hole, but his front nine was marred by a double-bogey 6 on the 452yard sixth hole after his tee shot missed the fairway.
He started the back nine with a bogey on the 10th hole. He parred No. 11, bogeyed No. 12 and parred 13 before making his second double of the day. Like on the sixth hole, a missed fairway off the tee set up Koepka’s troubles.
Other big names — including Rory McIlroy (10 over), Jason Day (9 over), Tiger Woods (8 over), Jordan Spieth (8 over) Phil Mickelson (7 over) and Bubba Watson (7 over) — also got off to tough starts.
Koepka didn’t seem too upset with his first-round struggles.
“You know, it’s a U.S. Open. You can shoot, whatever, five over and shoot one under (today) and be just fine going into the weekend,” Koepka told Reuters. “So I’m not too concerned.
“I mean, it is tough. I would have liked to have those two three-putts back, and I would have taken that and felt I’d played OK.”
Koepka won the U.S. Open last year at Erin Hills Golf Course in Wisconsin, shooting 16-under 272, which matched the U.S. Open to-par scoring record set by McIlroy in 2011.