2021 Byron Nelson: Brooks Koepka Falls Way Behind Leaders
By Tim Letcher
Scores were low on Thursday at the 2021 AT&T Byron Nelson. A number of players shot rounds well under par. Brooks Koepka was not one of those players.
While J.J. Spaun was shooting 63 and Rafa Cabrera Bello, Doc Redman and Aaron Wise were shooting 64, Koepka was largely unable to get much going in his first round.
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Koepka, playing for the first time since missing the cut at the Masters, started his round on the back nine. He opened with pars at the 10th and 11th holes.
On the par-5 12th hole, Koepka was near the green in two, then got up-and-down for his first birdie of the day. He was 1-under through three holes.
The good times did not last. On the par-4 13th hole, Koepka missed the green with his second shot. His chip left him about four feet for par but he missed the putt and settled for a bogey. He was back to even par.
After a par on the 14th hole, Koepka missed the green on the par-3 15th. Again, his chip got him within a reasonable distance for par, this time about five feet, but again he missed, suffering a bogey and slipping to 1-over on his round.
He closed his first nine with a birdie on the par-5 18th hole, leaving him at even par through nine.
His second nine started very quietly. Koepka would par the first, second, third and fourth holes to remain at even.
Koepka birdied the par-5 fifth hole to get back into red figures. He would par six but would bogey the seventh to slip back to even.
His round finished with a birdie on the par-5 ninth hole, leaving him with a 1-under par 71 for the day. Again, not a bad score but when others are shooting 63, 64 or 65, Koepka will have plenty of ground to make up.
Next. 2021 Wells Fargo: Winners and Losers from Quail Hollow. dark
It has been a hit or miss season for Koepka. He has a win in Phoenix, a second at the WGC-Workday and a tie for fifth in Houston. But he also has four missed cuts in 10 starts. Looks like the roller coaster trend will continue this week.