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

Brooks Koepka leads the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational after shooting an 8-under par 62 on Thursday. But Friday’s round is more important for Koepka

Brooks Koepka needs to have a HUGE round two at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational on Friday if he is to make progress on the 2020 PGA Tour.

Wait, what? Didn’t Koepka have a HUGE day on Thursday?

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That he did. But stick with me on this one.

First, to Thursday, where Koepka looked like the player everyone thought he would be this season. He started his round with not one, not two, not three but four consecutive birdies to jump start his day.

After pars on the fifth and sixth holes, Koepka suffered his only bogey of the day at the par-4 seventh hole. However, he bounced right back with birdies on both the eighth and ninth holes to finish his front nine with a 5-under par 30.

His back nine was not quite as spectacular but was still very solid. Koepka opened with a par on the 10th hole, followed by a birdie on the par-3 11th hole, moving him to 6-under on his Thursday round.

After a par at the 12th hole, Koepka birdied the 13th hole to get to 7-under. Pars at 14 and 15 preceded a birdie at the 16th hole, moving Koepka to 8-under par, where he would finish the day.

So, why is Friday’s round so important for Koepka? There are a couple of reasons for that.

First, he needs to prove that he can put together consecutive good rounds. That’s something he’s been lacking this season while making six cuts in 10 starts. Only at the Charles Schwab Challenge and at the RBC Heritage has Koepka been able to follow a round in the 60s with another round in the 60s.

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The four-time major champion needs to show the rest of the world that he’s truly a force to be reckoned with once again. He has not shown that at all this season, with just one top 10 finish (seventh at the RBC Heritage) to his credit. If he’s to get back to the major-winning player that golf fans have seen over the past three seasons, now is the time for Koepka to get hot, especially with the PGA Championship teeing off next week.

Friday’s round will be very important as Koepka, the defending champion at this event, shoots for consistency and to prove that he’s back among the game’s elite. That’s why Thursday’s round is a great start for the 30-year-old Florida native but Friday’s round is probably even more important.

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