AUGUSTA, Georgia – Brooks Koepka refused to discuss the horrible specifics of his injury. But, after tying for the first-round lead at the Masters with Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland with a 7-under 65, he obliged.
The four-time major winner, who is now a member of the LIV Golf Tour, revealed how he stumbled at home, dislocating his knee and fracturing it when he attempted to put it back in, only to break one of the ligaments around his patella.
“My leg was sideways and out. My foot was turned out,” Koepka said. “And when I snapped it back in, because the kneecap had already shattered, it went in pretty good. It went in a lot easier.”
In a candid post-round interview, Koepka discussed his recovery from a knee ailment that left him unable to bend his knee and resulted in him missing the cut at the 2021 Masters.
Before the injury and before he bolted for LIV last year, Koepka was considered not just one of the top players in the world, but also a player who almost exclusively excelled at majors. He built an entire reputation on being nonchalant about any other event but majors and seemed to thrive on an attitude of apathy toward golf. The episode of Netflix’s “Full Swing” in which Koepka appeared revealed a different side of the former top player in the world — he cared about golf and about winning. A lot.
“I think it was good. People probably don’t think I’m as open as what I really am,” Koepka said. “I’ll tell you exactly how I’m feeling at the time, how I’m feeling at the moment. I’m pretty vulnerable, too, away from the golf course. I’ve always said what you see on the golf course isn’t what you get behind closed doors.”
On Thursday, it appeared like we saw both sides of Koepka: the dominant golf side, in which he hit 12 of 14 fairways and 15 greens and closed with three birdies in his final four holes, and the slightly more vulnerable and open personal side.
“I wish I had celebrated the little milestones along the way instead of thinking I could just power through it,” Koepka said of his injury. “It’s the hardest I’ve ever worked, just trying to get back, because I felt like I was on the cusp of it, and it was nice to know that I was able to get through that.”
Much uncertainty has accompanied Koepka since he left for LIV, including whether he’ll be able to recreate the quality of golf that propelled him to the top of the game for a brief but remarkable period. Thursday was only one round, but if Koepka isn’t just fit again, but back to his old self, the world’s greatest players may have to worry about another guy to contend with Rory McIlroy, Rahm, and Scottie Scheffler come Friday and beyond.
Keeping an eye on the Big Three
Speaking of McIlroy, Rahm and Scheffler, all three had very different rounds Thursday. Scheffler didn’t play his best golf — which for him just means he didn’t finish the round in first place — but still played well enough to finish at 4-under and three off the lead after an eagle, three birdies and only one bogey.
Rahm led the opening round, starting with an uncharacteristic four-putt on the first hole before reeling off seven birdies and an eagle to finish at 7-under. The Spaniard appeared to be the least heralded of this trio before into the competition, but he immediately demonstrated why he might be the favourite as the event moved into the second round.
Meanwhile, McIlroy had a wild first round, carding five birdies but also three bogeys and a double bogie to finish at even par. While that would be a letdown on any other day, McIlroy’s first two rounds at Augusta National Golf Club have been less than fantastic. In fact, his 72 on Thursday was his best Masters opening round since 2017. There is still plenty of golf to be played, and while many in the field are concerned about the weather, McIlroy may thrive in it.
Winter is on its way Thursday was a beautiful day at Augusta National, with perfect Georgia spring weather. That will not last. With significant rain anticipated in Augusta over the next two days, it’s unknown how the second and third rounds will look, whether they’ll be able to finish, and how it will effect players’ performance. One thing was certain: a low Thursday score was essential.
“Today was the opportune time to get the round under par,” Tiger Woods said. “Most of the guys are going low today. This was the day to do it.”
As Rahm pointed out on Thursday, Augusta’s normal poor weather results in a thunderstorm suspension, which delays the tournament but makes the course softer and more conducive to scoring after the weather clears. Friday and Saturday are expected to have a 90% chance of rain or higher.
“With it softer, you’re going to see guys attack this golf course a little better,” Patrick Reed , who shot a 1-under 71, said. “If the wind stays down, like it did today, you’re going to see a lot of low scores.”
The forecast is expected to include winds ranging from 10 to 20 mph on both Friday and Saturday and should the tournament extend well into Sunday and perhaps Monday, the forecast will clear up and could facilitate even lower scores than it did Thursday.
Mickelson is displaying indications of life.
Getty Images
In an unexpected turn of events, Phil Mickelson, not Tiger Woods, shot the lowest score of the two on Thursday. In his first major round of the year, the 52-year-old posted a 1-under 71, while Woods shot a 73. Mickelson had struggled a lot this season on the LIV circuit, finishing 27th, 32nd, and 41st in three events. His most recent major outing was a missed cut at the United States Open.
But according to Mickelson, there’s something about Augusta that fits his aging, imperfect game.
“I feel like you can play this golf course and not have to be perfect,” Mickelson said. “As long as you put it in the correct spots, you can kind of manage your game around and shoot a number. I think that’s why I always enjoy playing here because I feel a little bit more relaxed, like I don’t have to be perfect.”
It remains to be unknown whether Mickelson can keep this up and make his first major cut since winning the 2021 PGA Championship, but given where the leaders are, they might both be trying to make the cut on Friday. Who knows, maybe we’ll see them together this weekend.
The Sam Bennett
One amateur in the field received a lot of attention in the days leading up to Thursday’s first round. That was Gordon Sargent, the NCAA individual champion who shocked players like Justin Thomas, Max Homa, and Rory McIlroy with his insane ball speed and driving distance. However, after Thursday was through, it was U.S. Amateur champion Sam Bennett who stole the show.
Bennett with his peculiar, contorting swing played alongside Homa and Scheffler, matching the world’s top score of 4-under while shooting four strokes better than Homa. The Texas A&M senior was unaffected throughout the day, beginning his round with a birdie on 1 and an eagle on 2. He added another birdie at the par-3 sixth hole and surrounded those red scores with 15 pars, including 12 consecutive to finish with no bogeys.
“I couldn’t have dreamed of a better start,” Bennett said. “Bogey-free, that’s something I love probably the most out of everything. To go around this place bogey-free is pretty cool.”
With the score, Bennett became not just the first amateur to finish inside the top 10 after the first round since Ryan Moore in 2005. His score of 68 was the lowest score by an amateur in a major since Hovland’s 67 during the final round of the 2019 U.S. Open.
It’s unclear whether Bennett can keep this up through the rest of the week, but it’s going to be a blast to watch him try.
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