Brooks Koepka was no ball of fire a couple of weeks ago in Abu Dhabi.
This week, it’s more of the same for the world’s No. 1 in Saudi Arabia.
Koepka accepted a huge appearance fee to show up at the Royal Greens Golf Club, a controversial appearance given the host country’s history of human rights violations. It’s part of the Saudi “sportswashing” efforts to try and focus world attention elsewhere.
While hundreds of thousands are showing up this week at the Phoenix Open, Koepka had about a dozen people following him on Thursday and on Friday, that crowd swelled to about 50 spectators to watch him play along with Open champion Shane Lowry and greens-tearing Sergio Garcia, who was on his best behavior the first two days.
Koepka opened with a yawner of a round on Thursday — an even par 70. Wasn’t a whole lot better on Friday, managing a one-under par effort of 69. At one-under for 36, he was beaten by Lowry (four-under) and Garcia (three-under). Koepka was nine shots behind early clubhouse leader Victor Perez, who fired back-to-back 65s to get in at 10-under par.
Koepka showed up with something different this week. He has an over-size grip on a new putter. He still has a Scotty Cameron, similar to his old flat stick his putter. It appears to be a Scotty Cameron T22 Newport 2 in a silver finish.
Other Americans are in the field. Defending champion Dustin Johnson opened with 67 on Thursday then added a 68 on Friday to keep himself in the hunt at five-under going into the weekend. It was the second round last year when Johnson shot a course-record 61 to take control of the tournament.
Patrick Reed was heading home early after shooting 73-70 — three-over par with the 36-hole cut looking like even par 140.
