DP World Tour opens path for LIV players’ return, family joy for Oban’s MacIntyre, Fox’s graphics errors, and Fleetwood’s new look. The Back Nine.
Brooks Koepka has survived his first week back on the PGA Tour with dignity. Finishing T56 at Justin Rose’s win at the Farmer Insurance Open was not a masterpiece, but in this case, the journey was the goal. Koepka started with a one-over-par 73, made the cut with a second-round 68, and completed the weekend at Torrey Pines with rounds of 73 and 70. Mission accomplished. By Friday, after making the weekend, the five-time major winner spoke of having fallen in love with the game anew. That was what LIV lacked for him: competition. The tough fight. Fighting for a three-meter putt despite being 20 shots behind the leader. But every shot counts, especially when a hundred or more players share the same goal.
Elsewhere, knives are still being sharpened over Koepka’s comeback, which some see as too easy and smooth. Not just Wyndham Clark. In an interview with Golf Digest Japan before the Farmers, Hideki Matsuyama also spoke unusually candidly. Considering his normally polite demeanor, one could say the 2021 Masters champion is furious.