Brooks Koepka has barely made a putt at this year’s Open. Yet he has continued to linger at the top of the leaderboard as if by stealth. A steady 69 on Friday left him at five under and within three shots of the leaders going into the business end of this championship. And his demeanour afterwards suggested he believes a fifth major in 10 starts is there for the taking if he starts getting the rub of the green.
“I haven’t made a putt all week,” he said. “I just need to figure that out. I could very easily be 10 under and really maybe more. I feel like sometimes the putts haven’t gone in and other times they’re terrible putts.”
On Friday afternoon he cut a solitary figure on the putting green, greasing that familiar groove, trying to turn the half dozen putts that flirted with the hole into third-round birdies on Saturday. Given his pedigree it would be no surprise if something suddenly clicked and the 29-year-old American got on another major roll.
This week Koepka’s coach, Pete Cowen, insisted his man had gone from being Mr Angry to being “the calmest guy in a major – what used to be his weakness is now a strength” – but there was no disguising his frustration about being able to hit only three birdies amid the calmest conditions of the tournament.
On Thursday Koepka had shot a 68 despite claiming he “felt like the world was going to end” because of the driving rain and scudding winds. Yet on the sedatest of coastal mornings he could not make it count.
An early birdie on the par-five 2nd was quickly handed back with a bogey on the 4th and he then hit eight straight pars – including several near misses – before finally making back-to-back birdies on the 12th and 13th.
“Today was a lot easier,” he admitted “I definitely feel like I could have shot a low one. Where the pin locations were and where the wind direction was coming from, there was quite a few gettable holes such as six and seven. 17 was also a good chance and I found a way to screw that up. It was frustrating but at the same time if I play a good weekend I’ll be in good shape. I’m close enough to make a run.”
The bookies agree. On Friday afternoon, as the weather began to close in, the bookies made him one of the favourites despite being three shots behind the clubhouse leaders, JB Holmes and Shane Lowry. However, when Koepka was asked whether he would prefer to lead at this stage there was a flash of anger. “No, I’d rather be in last place,” he said, snarkily, before softening his attitude. “I’d like to have as many shot lead as possible. You never know when you’re going to need it.”
Perhaps that flash of anger was no bad thing given that Koepka seems to play so much better when he has a gigantic chip on his shoulder. When ESPN’s magazine ignored Koepka in their 20 most dominant athletes of 2018 despite him winning two majors – in favour of the horse Justify, who won the triple crown – he was so annoyed he made the picture as his lock screen on his phone so he would be angry all over again when he woke up each day.
Koepka also took umbrage when Fox Sport did not use him in one of its four trailers for this year’s US Open given he was defending champion – even though he was heavily featured in the other three. That time it fired him into second place at Pebble Beach.
It is a measure of his overall game that Koepka is still in contention despite making one long putt in two rounds – on the 13th – but the American still sees other things he needs to work on. “On the front nine I didn’t hit it as good as I’d like,” he said. “I didn’t pitch it as good. It’s tough to really score if you’re going to do that.”
However, he is confident he can turn things around, particularly with his caddie Rickie Elliot – who is from Portrush – guiding him around. “He knows exactly where to put it and tells me where to go and I fire it there,” he said smiling. “I don’t think I have to think much. I don’t have to do anything. Obviously he knows this golf course like the back of his hand.”
When it was put to Koepka that he had a similar home-court advantage as in basketball, he nodded. “Sure. Obviously the knowledge of the course and the knowledge that he knows exactly where to put it, where the misses are, that’s a big advantage. Playing so many rounds around here it’s definitely helped a shot or two.”
And that, he believes, could make all the difference come Sundaynight. “I’m hanging around,” he said. “Just close enough. It’s not where I want to be but it’s OK. I’ll figure it out this weekend.” Just like he has so many times in the past. Would you dare bet against him?
