He doesn’t play, he steals. And, for now, it flies over. Brooks Koepka is mistreating the course and his pursuers with insolent ease. Monstrous Thursday (-7), royal again this Friday (-5, no bogey), the American has already bent the debate on the supposed lack of rhythm of players who have migrated to LIV. The rhythm, precisely, he however lacked it for a long time after a domestic accident shot his knee two big years ago. The patella is no longer broken, the inner ligament is no longer torn. We find the Brooks Koepka of the 2017-2019 period (four Majors won) in even calmer mode.
On this second round in Augusta, and on the strength of his success last week in Orlando, the one who has never put on the green jacket has, on the other hand, put on the good moves like pearls, leaving early, under the sun , dry. A major advantage. Eagle on 8, birdie opportunities not converted but revealing his hot hand (9, 10, 11), birdies on 13 and 15. All in control, easy, without giving the impression of forcing, without puttingt like a god. A demonstration. A mutant who filled up on the Par 5: “ It was solid. When there are opportunities to be taken, you have to take them. Since January, I know that I will be able to become the player that I was. I have a bit the same feelings as in 2017-2019. I drive, I put, I chip. I found my complete rotation, I can lean on my right knee. Everything fell into place”.
“I have found my full rotation, I can lean on my right knee. Everything fell into place”.
Koepka towards the 5th?
Obviously, there is still a lot of golf until Sunday evening but Brooks Koepka, already crowned on the US Open and the USPGA, begins to project himself on a possible success after having signed the best provisional card of this second round with Kyoung- Hoon Lee: “ The objective is to win this Grand Slam, it’s true. I feel like all the greats have won here and they’ve all won the British Open, too. That’s one more checkbox for me. And if I keep the same state of mind, it should go well this weekend. »
Obviously, the competition does not see it that way but finds itself, after two laps, held at a respectable distance. Finally, two towers, not for everyone. The games were first interrupted at 3:11 p.m. (local time), for a quarter of an hour, because of a risk of thunderstorms and therefore lightning. The game resumed for a while despite the light rain but the foghorn sounded again at 4:23 p.m. (10:23 p.m. in France), the spectators being evacuated this time. Three trees even collapsed near 17, fortunately without causing any casualties. Too much fear. Final end of the game, resumption scheduled for this Saturday at 2 p.m. (French time).
Jon Rahm in ambush
Some players may curse heaven for cutting them off in their tracks. This is the case of Jon Rahm (-2 on the day, -9 in total), forced to stop at 9, like Cameron Young (-5), when he was Koepka’s only runner-up. Viktor Hovland (-6) stopped at 10 and Patrick Reed (-4) at 14. In the Par this Friday, Tiger Woods approached 12 when he headed for the clubhouse (+2) without being – for the time being – in the nails for the cut. The doubt no longer exists for Rory McIlroy, who played without receiving a drop of rain but completely took the water (7 bogeys, 2 birdies). His passing time (+5) leaves him no hope for this weekend. A blow in the hunt for points for the peaks of the world ranking. A huge surprise given its current form.
Other players had the chance to finish their course. Amateur Sam Bennett is one of them. The Texan (23) is in 3rd position (-8). He had already made the cut at the US Open last year (49th at the finish), he is in another dimension this week: “At the start I just wanted to play two good laps. And there, I find myself in a position to win. It’s a dream come true to see my name, with a red score (negative) on large billboards. I’m ready for this weekend, I don’t think I’ll be too nervous.”
Scheffler, the double goes away
Collin Morikawa (-6) and Sam Burns (-5) also did the job and won’t have to get up at dawn this Saturday. Jason Day himself deluded himself for a long time (-9 at the start of the 15th) before cracking at the end (four strokes lost on the last four holes): “ I was so close to Brooks. And then, in four holes, the map changed. I am very disappointed. Seven strokes behind him is a lot. In fact, now, it will mostly depend on him. But I will mostly focus on myself. »,
Scottie Scheffler, for his part, battled all day without ever finding the solution (+3 with a single birdie): entry bogey, double bogey at 9, bogey at 18, an ordeal. Here he is irremediably left behind (-1). Definitely for the win? Barring a miracle, it is probable. But in golf, miracles happen all the time.
