Zurich Classic of New Orleans Power Rankings
By Sam Belden
No. 9: Brooks Koepka/Chase Koepka
OWGR – Brooks: No. 19, Chase: No. 1460
In a way, this is one of the most unconventional pairs in the field — Chase, younger than brother Brooks by four years, doesn’t even have PGA Tour status. Still, with the combination of Brooks’ outstanding recent play and the kind of chemistry that you only get with family, these two should have a chance to succeed.
The Koepka brothers are on this list by virtue of Brooks’ sterling Sunday performance at the Valero Texas Open. Four strokes off the pace at the start of the day, the Florida State product caught fire early and wound up tying the lead with a birdie on the 18th hole, eventually falling into second place after a clutch stretch performance from 54-hole leader Kevin Chappell. The runner-up finish was his third consecutive top 15, making him one of the hottest players in the field this week. There’s obviously less to like about the younger Koepka, but as the owner of a solid college career, Chase is no slouch.
Chase’s inexperience might put this duo at a slight disadvantage, but if Brooks can continue to hit it well, these guys have a chance to capture lightning in a bottle. Whatever happens, it’ll be a whole lot of fun to see them try to make something happen.