Treble-seeking Koepka finally sees the light after long waiting game
BROOKS KOEPKA has spent more than a year preparing for this week’s PGA Championship and has clicked into form at exactly the right time.
Before a second-placed finish in Memphis last week, the American, who is bidding to win a third consecutive PGA Championship, had very little form to speak of.
However, a four-under first round of 66 at Harding Park in San Francisco leaves him one shot off early leader Jason Day and well placed to complete a historic treble, something he had the chance to do at the US Open last year before falling short. “I think that drove me nuts a little bit, said Koepka.
“I played good golf [at the US Open], but I just got beat by Gary Woodland. To do it here [a treble] would be special. I think there’s probably six guys that have ever won three in a row. Yeah, not a bad list to be on.
“The whole goal every time we tee it up in a Major is to win them. The whole year is spent preparing for these four events.
“I think I can definitely play a lot better, and just need to tidy a few things up, and we’ll be there come Sunday on the back nine.”
Leader Day has battled with chronic back pain for a number of years, but the former world No1 shot a flawless 65 and credited a heavy dose of Deep Heat for helping him through.
“You’re always cautious of doing certain things, bending over, but I pretty much lather up in Deep Heat and I go — I try and burn the skin off my back, to be honest,” he said.
“I finally had enough of feeling sorry for myself, and it’s easy to do that in this game because it is so mentally tough. You can start blaming everything else but yourself. Sometimes you’ve just got to pull your pants up and just move on, you know.”
Rory McIlroy had to recover from a run of three consecutive bogeys on his front nine to finish at level par for the day, while playing partner Tiger Woods is well placed at two under. having shot his lowest opening round at a Major championship since 2012.
“It was there for the taking,” said McIlroy. “I feel like I definitely could have been a few shots lower, but I sort of grinded it out and with how I hit it on the back nine, even par actually wasn’t too bad. The way the conditions were, if you hit it well, every hole was nearly a birdie chance.”
Martin Kaymer and Justin Rose made up part of the nine-strong group a shot back from Day on 66.