Brooks Koepka Withdraws From The Players — Now It’s His Right Knee

Just when Brooks Koepka was getting past all his physical problems, he’s in trouble again, so much so that he won’t be playing this week at the PGA Tour’s flagship event — The Players.

Koepka has been long bothered by a troublesome left knee but this time it’s his right knee that he apparently strained during his off week.

Koepka’s left knee has hampered him for the past two seasons.  He was unable to compete in last September’s U.S. Open and didn’t win in calendar year 2020.  He finally got back in the winner’s circle last month at the Phoenix Open.

“It’s been a wild ride for the last year and a half and very frustrating,” Koepka said after that last win.  “I’ve had moments where I didn’t know if I was going to be the same, if I could even come back.  I went through it mentally. I think that’s probably the toughest thing, where you don’t know if you’re ever going to be the same competitor that you were. You go through some real dark places, and it’s not a fun place to be.”

Two weeks ago Koepka looked like he had his physical problems behind him with rounds of 67-66-70-70 at the difficult Concession Club that earned him a tie for second at the WGC-Workday.  He had planed to play The Players and everything leading up to The Masters with the exception of the Texas Open the week before The Masters.

Koepka will likely undergo MRI tests this week to determine the extent of the injury to his right knee.

Dr. Jordan And Mr. Hyde:

Jordan Spieth staggered home Sunday at Bay Hill — he bogeyed three of the last four holes, otherwise he might have finished solo third.  As it was Jordan finished with 75 on a tough day.

What’s holding Spieth back in his comeback?  There’s too much of the “Bad Jordy” being mixed in with the sensational “Old Jordy” who won all those majors.  Spieth is having some very magical moments like his birdie-ace start to Saturday’s round on the first two holes at Bay Hill.  So what does he do on the tee at the third?  “Bad Jordy” hits an awful smother-hook into the water.  He made a nice recovery, leaving himself 30 feet for what looked like an easy two-putt bogey.  But then “Old Jordy” shows up and drains it for par.

Spieth is still missing short putts and that’s something he’ll have to clean up.

Put it together and this latest version of Spieth is sort of a “Dr. Jordan and Mr. Hyde.”  If he can get rid of Mr. Hyde, we may see him in the winner’s circle soon.

Rickie Fowler Finishes Dead Last:

Rickie Fowler managed to come back from his opening 76 with a 70 and made the cut on the number at the AP Invitational.  But his weekend was a disaster.  Perhaps it was a hint of things to come when the first-tee announcer introduced him as “Rickie Flowers” on Saturday.  Rickie went on to shoot 76.  Winds will make things worse when you’re playing poorly and on Sunday Rickie went out and shot 77.  He finished 11-over par, dead last at 71st in the field.

Rory Falls Out Of Top 10, Bryson Moves To No. 6:

Rory McIlroy continues his tumble in the world rankings.  McIlroy was in contention at the AP Invitational but on Sunday, he hit two drives into the water at the par five sixth and suffered a double-bogey — and it was a good double-bogey, he would have made eagle off his third tee shot.  Nonetheless, Rory’s fallen out of the top 10 in this week’s Official World Golf Rankings.

McIlroy checks in at No. 11 while AP Invitational winner Bryson DeChambeau jumped from outside the top 10, all the way to No. 6.  Dustin Johnson remains No. 1, Jon Rahm No. 2, Justin Thomas No. 3, Collin Morikawa No. 4 and Xander Schauffele rounds out the top five.