McKINNEY, Texas (AP) 鈥� Brooks Koepka is enjoying the grind in his , and he feels like he has to take advantage of every opportunity.
Koepka is playing in his third consecutive tournament , an event that most of the game’s top players are skipping coming off the PGA Championship.
鈥淓very week is a new fresh start for me,鈥� Koepka said Wednesday, a day before teeing off in a group with hometown favorite Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player and . 鈥淥bviously with my penalty I鈥檓 not allowed to play every event, and if I get the chance to tee up, I want to play.鈥�
Nearly four years after being one of the biggest names to sign a financially lucrative deal with the Saudi-funded LIV tour 鈥� his was for more than $100 million 鈥� the five-time major champion is with some restrictions. He will not receive FedEx Cup bonus money this season, and he can’t play in any of the signature events unless he earns his way in. The Nelson isn’t one of those $20 million events.
鈥淚鈥檝e kind of fallen back in love with this,鈥� Koepka said. 鈥淚鈥檓 enjoying the grind. I鈥檓 enjoying battling it out here. Yeah, it鈥檚 just a newfound love, a newfound passion for the game, and something that I鈥檓 really, really enjoying being back on the road and grinding it out and trying to find it in the dirt.鈥�
The 36-year-old Koepka, now ranked 111th, has made the cut in seven of his 10 tournaments. He returned at Torrey Pines at the end of January. His only top-10 finish was a tie for ninth at the Cognizant Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, but he did tie for 13th at The Players Championship and 12th at the Masters.
This is only the second time this season he plays three weeks in a row. He tied for 55th at the after a closing 4-over 74.
While he has changed putters this week going into the Nelson, Koepka feels good about the state of his game.
鈥淚鈥檓 driving the ball fantastic. I feel like I鈥檓 in complete control,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 feel like I鈥檓 in complete control of my golf ball. Shape, spin, trajectory, everything seems to be right where I need it to be. It鈥檚 just a matter of rolling those putts in.鈥�
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AP Sports Writer Stephen Hawkins contributed to this report.
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