Koepka hits four birdies, a bogey and a marshal’s head
CHARLOTTE: Long-hitting Brooks Koepka left a marshal nursing a sore head after striking him with a towering shot during an opening-round 68 at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow on Thursday.
Koepka, who overpowered Erin Hills to win the US Open two months ago, said he would check on the marshal after he finished his round one stroke behind early co-leaders Thorbjorn Olesen of
Denmark and fellow
American
Kevin
Kisner.
“This golf course, it’s a bomber’s paradise I think,” said the muscular Koepka. “There’s some lines we can take over some trees. Number two, I just take it up over the tree. You can take a short line into a bunch of them.
“Like I hit a pitching wedge into number one today. I’m pretty sure a bunch of guys are going to be hitting a six-, maybe five-iron into that hole,” he said.
“Length is a key factor out here, and especially when it’s as wet as it is, it makes those fairways a bit wider,” Koepka added, noting how the ball tends to stop near its landing spot.
He blasted shots all around Quail Hollow, including the one that unfortunately landed on the marshal at the 16th hole.
“He was fine. Well, I shouldn’t say fine. He just got drilled in the head,” said Koepka.
The marshal at least appeared to be OK by the time Koepka reached him.
“He was laughing and joking when I was up there, kept telling me, ‘You got a good break’.”
Koepka, who started at the 10th, carded his first bogey of the day at that par-four hole as he made the turn in level par. The American then took advantage of the other nine, posting four birdies and a bogey to finish three-under. Reuters