DP World Tour paves way back for LIV players, family joy in Oban, Fox’s error-filled graphic, and Fleetwood’s new look. The Back Nine.
Brooks Koepka has completed his first week back on the PGA Tour with dignity. Finishing T56 at Justin Rose’s Farmers Insurance Open wasn’t a stellar performance, but in this case, the journey was the goal. Koepka opened with a 73, one over par, then played a 68 in round two to make the cut, and wrapped up the weekend at Torrey Pines with 73 and 70 strokes. Mission accomplished. By Friday, after making the weekend cut, the five-time major champion spoke of falling in love with the game again. It was what he missed on LIV: the competition. The tough fight. Struggling for a three-meter putt even when 20 shots behind the leader. But every shot counts, especially when a hundred or more players share the same goal. \”I’m glad to be grinding out there again,\” said Koepka.
However, elsewhere, Koepka’s comeback has drawn criticism for seeming too easy and smooth. Not just Wyndham Clark expressed this view. In an interview with Golf Digest Japan, Hideki Matsuyama was unusually outspoken before the Farmers. Given his typically polite and reserved demeanor, one could say the 2021 Masters champion is furious.