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Brooks Koepka intended to take this week off, leaving the Memorial Tournament to others, but he no longer has that luxury.
Still outside the top 150 in FedEx Cup points with only five events remaining before the playoffs begin, Koepka reversed course last Friday and entered the Memorial.
“I’m pretty far down in the FedEx Cup and need to make a run,” said Koepka (above). “I think it’s pretty simple. I didn’t plan on playing, but things change, and I’d like to be in Atlanta. That's what you’ve got to do; I’m going to basically run the table.”
Due to issues related to knee surgery last fall, Koepka has made just eight starts this season. A seventh-place finish at the RBC Heritage is his only top-10 this season.
Koepka’s iron play and putting have declined since his extended run as the No. 1 player in the world. In 2018-19, Koepka ranked 11th in strokes gained approaching the green, and was 163rd entering the Workday Charity Open. He’s dropped from 48th to 117th in strokes gained putting. He has fallen to sixth in the Official World Golf Ranking.
At the Workday event, Koepka shot 41on his opening nine holes but turned it around by Friday, closing with six birdies in his final 12 holes but ultimately missing the cut by one stroke.
“That’s what you've got to do,” Koepka said. “I never give up. ... Never think you’re out of it, and you’ve just got to battle through it no matter what you’re doing. That's part of why you're out here. You’re a pro, you just sack up and do it.”
Koepka has been active on social media, posting a GIF from the HBO show Eastbound & Down showing baseball player Kenny Powers charging at a cameraman about steroid allegations – a veiled shot at Bryson DeChambeau, many believe – while also pushing back at Golf Channel analyst Paige Mackenzie who criticized his social media post.
“When you hear that annoying voice on tv and look up and see it’s @paigegolf,” Koepka posted.
Ron Green Jr.