Guess who has his swagger again.
By means of 36 holes on the Sentosa Golf Membership in Singapore, Brooks Koepka holds a three-shot lead over Thomas Pieters and Adrian Meronk in LIV Golf’s seventh occasion of the season.
“Simply form of discovering my very own little swagger,” Koepka stated after his Saturday 7-under 64.
“Happy with the way in which I’ve performed thus far and simply must go one other good spherical.”
Within the weeks main as much as this event in Singapore, Koepka has not been at his greatest, exterior of a latest Tenth-place end at LIV Golf Adelaide. He tied for forty fifth at Augusta Nationwide, a consequence he referred to as an “embarrassment.”
“I believe Augusta was a superb wake-up name. I’ve needed to actually grind since then,” Koepka stated.
“That actually kicked issues into overdrive for me. I actually have needed to put my nostril down and grind slightly bit tougher. I even needed to look my workforce within the eye and apologize. I’m not wanting to do this once more.”
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The additional apply since then has paid off, as Koepka has performed a lot better since his poor displaying on the 2024 Masters.
He attributes this to his ball-striking, which has vastly improved.
“Ball-striking is lastly beginning to come round. The putter is heating up slightly bit. I believe that’s simply because of seeing some higher golf pictures,” Koepka stated.
“That’s form of the way it’s at all times labored for me. If I really feel good hanging it, you have got just a few extra alternatives and some extra higher seems. As an alternative of being 30 toes, it may be 15, which ups your probabilities tremendously. That performs an enormous half, to be sincere with you.”
Koepka’s first birdie of the spherical got here on the par-5 4th, the place the five-time main winner threaded a 3-wood by a set of palm bushes and onto the inexperienced in two.
“It’s a much bigger hole than folks most likely suppose,” Koepka stated of that shot.
“I needed to begin it properly proper of the flag, so I felt assured I might begin it someplace on the inexperienced. It’s at all times a much bigger hole than it seems.”
On the subsequent gap, the signature gap at Sentosa, Koepka caught an 8-iron to 6 toes and drained the putt. The smooth situations—due to a four-hour climate delay—allowed the sector to assault each pin, and Koepka took full benefit.
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One other birdie adopted on the sixth gap, and immediately, he sat at 8-under par and held a share of the lead.
Koepka settled down a bit after that, making six straight pars to stay at 8-under.
However extra fireworks went off on the par-4 thirteenth, one of the crucial difficult holes on the course. Koepka drained a 53-footer with practically six toes of break to get to 9-under, which gave him all types of momentum.
On the subsequent gap, Koepka practically made an ace on the 180-yard par-3 and shortly bought to 10-under.
Two extra birdies adopted on 16 and 18, the latter of which got here due to a 20-foot make.
“I simply needed to exit and play good golf, and that’s all I wish to do, particularly main into the PGA,” Koepka added.
Koepka is rounding into type on the proper time, with the PGA Championship now solely two weeks away. He’ll arrive at Valhalla Golf Membership in Louisville, Kentucky, because the defending champion, trying to efficiently defend a significant title for the third time in his profession.
However earlier than he can totally give attention to profitable a fourth Wanamaker Trophy, Koepka has a job to complete in Singapore, the place a fourth profession LIV Golf victory is properly inside attain.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. Remember to try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.
