Koepka charge likely not enough at Workday Charity Open

Brooks Koepka says he will do whatever it takes, including playing every remaining week of the season, until he can secure a spot in the TOUR Championship for a crack at the FedExCup. Koepka was originally not planning to play in the Memorial Tournament Presented by Nationwide next week, the second of two events to be played at Muirfield Village Golf Club. But poor play at the Workday Charity Open this week has forced his hand and the former world No. 1 will indeed play again. “I’m pretty far down in the FedExCup and need to make a run. I think it’s pretty simple. I didn’t plan on playing, but things change, and I’d like to be in Atlanta,” Koepka said after his second round. “That’s what you’ve got to do; I’m going to basically run the table.” Koepka came into this week sitting 155th on the season long points list but not even a scintillating late evening blitz in a storm affected second round is likely to extend his time at the Workday Charity Open and bring a chance to advance his FedExCup standing. With play suspended overnight Koepka sits a shot outside the projected cutline, needing significant help from unfinished players to survive. The 2017 and 2018 PGA TOUR Player of the Year looked a shadow of his best self through 26 holes of play at Muirfield Village this week, sitting five over par and 18 shots adrift of clubhouse leader Collin Morikawa. He was at least six shots back of the likely cut mark with 10 holes left. It was go hard or go home time. And go hard he did. Koepka put up six birdies on the closing 10 holes to shoot a 3-under 69 and finish 1 under for the week. “That’s what you’ve got to do. I never give up, never think you’re out of it, and you’ve just got to battle through it no matter what you’re doing,” he said. “That’s part of why you’re out here. You’re a pro, you just sack up and do it.” As awesome as it was, it could have easily been so much better. On three occasions he went within a whisker of hole-out eagles and did the same for a birdie after a penalty drop. He also missed two birdie putts inside seven feet during the run. It started on the par-4 9th hole when his wedge from 117 yards ended up about four feet from the pin. On the par-3 12th hole Koepka was just a foot from an ace and a hole later a wedge from 106 yards rolled desperately close to the cup. On the par-4 14th, after finding water with his tee shot, he dropped 92 yards out and flirted with a hole out birdie before a simple tap in par. His greenside bunker shot on the par-5 15th was another that wanted to go in but found a way not to. In the end back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 still likely won’t be enough. “It was pretty gutsy. I would still take it as a chance. The guys finishing in the morning will probably hurt that. But it’s a funny game,” playing partner Justin Thomas said of the run. “I’ve been in that position before, unfortunately, or we all have, but it’s almost like when you stop caring you start playing better. There’s a lesson somewhere in that, but it’s hard to go out there and play and not care.” Among those surprisingly likely to be joining Koepka on the cut list are Jordan Spieth (E), Marc Leishman (+5), Matthew Wolff (+5), Bubba Watson (+8) and Justin Rose (+10). After this week just five weeks of tournaments remain before the top 125 get into the FedExCup playoffs.

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