Nine holes blind, but Brooks Koepka still walks away with a 65 at AT&T Byron Nelson
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Brooks Koepka gets up-and-down for birdie at AT&T Byron Nelson
DALLAS – Brooks Koepka had never been to Trinity Forest until Tuesday. He played the back nine that day in a abbreviated practice round. A heavy rainstorm Wednesday prevented any players from getting on the course.
So Thursday’s opening round of the AT&T Byron Nelson was the first time Koepka saw the front nine. No worries for the world’s No. 3 player and No. 8 in FedExCup points.
Starting his opening round on the more familiar back nine, Koepka went out in 32, then came back on the front nine in 33 to finish with a 6-under 65, putting him firmly in the hunt going into Friday.
“It’s a bit different when you’re playing it blind,” Koepka said. “Kind of don’t know where you’re going. Relying a lot on the (yardage) book. I never look at the book.”
Other than his approach at the par-4 sixth from the fairway that flew the green and landed in the back bunker, and his poor swing from 234 yards at the ninth that failed to find the green, Koepka was happy with his play. He hit 11 of 14 fairways, 15 of 18 greens and made all 16 of his putts inside 10 feet while also rolling in a 41-footer for birdie at the par-4 18th.
It’s something he wants to continue the rest of the week and into next week at the PGA Championship at Bethpage Black, where he’ll be the defending champion.
“The last few weeks, I’ve been impressed with myself and how well I’m striking it,” he said. “Controlling it nice and then from there just try to feel like you see some putts go in the hole. I think it’s important to kind of feel like the hole is opening up with a major (on the horizon).”
As for Trinity Forest? Koepka, who spent the early portion of his career playing in Europe, calls it “about as true of a links golf course you’re going to find in America. Obviously with the rain, it doesn’t play like it, being so soft, but this is a great course.”
Not that he minded the previous one. Koepka’s best finish in four previous AT&T Byron Nelson starts is a playoff lost to Sergio Garcia in 2016 at TPC Las Colinas, the previous tournament venue.
Despite the solid start Thursday, he’s still not sure if Trinity Forest will be his kind of course.
“I wouldn’t say it suits my eye,” he said. “A lot of drivers, though. It plays to my advantage. It’s not like it’s a course where I’ve fallen in love with it. It’s definitely not that.
“I love the old course that they used to play on … Was one of my favorite courses on TOUR. It’s got a lot to live up to.”