Four-time major championship winner Brooks Koepka sent shockwaves throughout the world of golf by announcing that he would play at The Masters this week just three weeks after knee surgery (nypost.com). The 6 foot 205 pound Florida State alum was forced to pull out of The Players Championship last month after dislocating his knee cap (OUCH!).
Can Koepka overcome all the odds against him? Koepka is a fierce competitor but will the knee hold up so soon after surgery? Here are three reasons why Koepka will not only play, but play well at Augusta National this week.
Koepka had his Game Back on Track before the Injury
2020 was not kind to many people in the world and it was definitely not kind at all to Brooks Koepka. In fact, Koepka missed the majority of the 2020 golf season because of devastating hip and knee injuries. 2020 was the first calendar year that Koepka did not see the victory circle since 2016.
However, Koepka had put the frustration of 2020 behind him this season as he won the Waste Management Open back in February. The win was a major achievement considering Koepka started the final round trailing the leader by five strokes. The dramatic come from behind victory put the golfing world on notice that Koepka was back to his old winning ways.
Koepka has Played Brilliantly at Augusta National Lately
Koepka, who is one of the longest drivers on the PGA Tour, loves playing at Augusta National. The 30-year old has found a high level of success in The Masters by placing second in 2019 and seventh in 2020. Koepka missed the 2018 Masters due to a wrist injury but had another respectable 11th place finish back in 2017.
Koepka has proven that he is immensely comfortable on Augusta National’s iconic golf course. The Florida native’s solid course history makes many folks feel that he will be in contention when the final round is played on Sunday.
No Golfer on the PGA Tour Trains as Hard as Koepka
Sure, this is the PGA Tour and all of these guys train incredibly hard. However, have you ever watched any of Koepka’s gym workouts? No one trains with more intensity than the two-time U.S. Open champ!
There is no doubt that Koepka channeled that fitness ferocity into his rehab workouts. In fact, Koepka has admitted that he spent seven hours each day in rehab with the intent of being ready for The Masters! The fact that Koepka is even in the field is an accomplishment, but all golf fans know that he is never content with simply showing up.
Simply put, Koepka is a big-game hunter and he knows how to get to a higher level mentally than most other pro golfers. Koepka has the innate ability to tune out all distractions when the stakes are high. The stakes are always at an all-time high at The Masters. Is it Thursday yet? Golf fans can hardly wait!