Koepka class /Brooks off and running in his bid for US PGA hat-trick
Brooks Koepka made an ominous start to his bid for an historic third straight victory in the US PGA Championship as Tiger Woods kept himself firmly in the frame on a topclass leaderboard in San Francisco.
Koepka carded an opening four-under-par 66 at Harding Park to lie a shot off the early clubhouse lead held by former world No 1 Jason Day, the Australian carding five birdies in a flawless 65.
Former Ryder Cup teammates Justin Rose and Martin Kaymer were alongside Koepka on four under, with Open champion Shane Lowry two strokes further back following a 68 matched by Woods.
The 15-time major winner was two under par after four holes, fell back to level par and then made three birdies in four holes before making a bogey on his penultimate hole at a venue where he won a WGC event in 2005 and compiled a 5-0 record in the 2009 Presidents Cup.
Starting on the back nine at Harding Park, Koepka failed to take advantage of the par-five tenth and dropped a shot on the next, but then birdied the 13th, 14th, 16th and 18th thanks to some superb approach play.
A bogey on the first slowed
Koepka’s momentum, although he did well to limit the damage to a single shot after only moving his second shot 40 yards from the rough and then finding a bunker with his third.
Koepka, who had managed only one top-ten finish in nine starts either side of the Covid-19 shutdown before last week’s tie for second in Memphis, bounced back with birdies on the second and fourth and declared himself satisfied with his opening effort.
“I mean, it’s only 18 holes right now,” Koepka said. “I feel good. I feel confident.
I’m excited for the next three days. 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.”
Woods, who is using a slightly longer putter this week to ease the strain on his troublesome back, said:
“I figured we were going to get the more favourable conditions today, (but) some of these pins were on the difficult side.”
Playing partners Rory Mcilroy and Justin Thomas had to settle for rounds of level par and one over respectively.