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Brooks Koepka dominates the field… but is it too soon?

By Christopher O'Day

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - JULY 30: Brooks Koepka of the United States plays his shot from the 18th tee during the first round of the World Golf Championship-FedEx St Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind on July 30, 2020 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - JULY 30: Brooks Koepka of the United States plays his shot from the 18th tee during the first round of the World Golf Championship-FedEx St Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind on July 30, 2020 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Brooks Koepka dominated the field Thursday at the St. Jude Invitational.

It was a welcome sight to all of us fans who were a bit worried about Brooks Koepka. He had mentioned recently that he was not progressing from his knee injury.

During the opening round at the WGC FedEx St. Jude Invitational, he looked like vintage Koepka, the guy who shows up at majors and is an instant contender… if not the frontrunner.

Maybe this is his way of showing that he is ready for the first major of the year next week in the PGA Championship. A healthy Koepka does nothing but makes the game of golf better, increasing the level of competition across the board, all the while making a more enjoyable viewing experience.

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Yes, Brooks Koepka dominated the field on Thursday. Is it too soon for him to be flipping the proverbial switch?

I mentioned the knee injury. Koepka hasn’t been progressing as much as he wanted following his knee surgery last year. From slipping on a bridge/walkway, to just not being able to recover, to the potential of extra surgeries, you have to wonder how long he can turn it on for.

We all know that throughout his career, Brooks Koepka has been two different players when it comes to the regular events on the PGA Tour. If you are a basketball fan, a good comparison for this would be “Playoff Rondo”. Rajon Rondo was well known for, and admitted himself, that he played on a different level with a different level of intensity and care during the playoffs.

For Koepka and his knee history, can he keep it up for what could be eight rounds in a row? After dominating the field to open the St. Jude, Koepka has a two-shot lead. After nine birdies and one bogey, Koepka showed that major potential is still there.

Maybe he was just turning it on for a round to see if he could. Maybe he wants to put himself through the paces of a full tournament of golf with the pressure on. If a player was healthy, this wouldn’t be that much of a surprise, or something that would worry people.

With Brooks Koepka, it does worry me. Waking up and trying to play with a bum knee is no fun, especially when you see the torque and pressure that players put on their bodies. We will have the answer in 11 days, but it’s going to be a long and pressure-filled wait to see if Brooks Koepka can stay healthy.

Next. WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational: Friday round huge for Brooks Koepka. dark

Then again… he is a robot, so who knows. Keep watching the St. Jude to see how the knee holds up, and if the lead can hold up as well.

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