Brooks Koepka faced a tough day on the greens, missing several close birdie putts early on. He wrapped up the day tied for 100th and opted not to speak with the media afterward.
Koepka, a local favorite from West Palm Beach now residing in Jupiter, found himself struggling toward the end of his first round at the Cognizant Classic. Despite starting strong, he faltered on three of his last six holes, including the notorious 16th and 17th at PGA National's Champion Course. His round of 3-over 74 left him in a precarious position concerning the cut line.
With the largest gallery of the day following him, Koepka was 1 under through 12 holes. However, a three-putt bogey on the par-4 13th, where his 5-foot par attempt veered off course, set the tone for a challenging finish.
At the par-4 16th, part of the infamous Bear Trap, Koepka's approach left him 61 feet from the pin. His first putt stopped five feet away, and his par attempt spun out, dropping him to 1 over.
The par-3 17th, the day's toughest hole, saw Koepka's tee shot roll into a tricky collection area. A misjudged chip sent the ball into the water, forcing him to remove his shoe and sock to play from the muck. He eventually sank a putt for a double-bogey 5 after a rough sequence.
Koepka had a chance to recover at the par-5 18th, the third-easiest hole of the day, but his birdie putt from 22 feet narrowly missed.
The struggles with his putter were evident, continuing a trend from his last two PGA Tour events since returning from LIV Golf. Koepka missed four birdie attempts from 9 to 11 feet within the first four holes. His sole birdie came on the sixth hole with an impressive 36-foot putt.
Playing alongside Daniel Berger, a fellow Jupiter resident and former Florida State teammate, Koepka had a challenging day. Berger, tied for third at 4 under, noted, “I like playing with Brooks.
I’m happy he’s back. He had a tough time on 17, but he can turn it around in an instant.
I expect him to come out tomorrow and play well.”
Koepka's day was a mix of promise and frustration, but if history is any indicator, he has the resilience to bounce back. Fans will be eager to see how he responds in the next round.