Earlier this week Brooks Koepka said his left knee still wasn’t 100% healthy as he prepared to make his return to competitive golf for the first time since October.
The World No. 1’s knee might not be in great shape, but his game certainly is after the first round Thursday of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Koepka shot a 6-under 66 in the European Tour’s 2020 opener and sits just two shots off the lead at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. Renato Paratore and Shaun Norris are T-1 at 8 under.
“It feels good to be back,” Koepka said after his round. “I drove it really well. Controlled the ball flight, controlled distances really well, and that’s what you gotta to do out here.”
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship: Leaderboard | Tee times
More: Koepka says knee still not 100% healthy
Koepka said his knee started bothering him last March and he had stem cell treatment just after the Tour Championship in August. He came back at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas in October and missed the cut.
He reinjured his left knee slipping on concrete during the CJ Cup in South Korea in November. “Excruciating” pain in his left knee forced Koepka to pull out of the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in China and the Presidents Cup in Australia back in December.
“It feels fine. A little sore last night – just do some treatment on it,” Koepka said of his left knee. “That’s expected. This is the first week I’ve walked 18 holes and I’ve done it three times already (including practice rounds). It’s a little tired.”
