Koepka Stunner: Brooks Will Play The Masters

The 85th Masters hasn’t even started yet and already there was stunning news out of Augusta National on Sunday.

Brooks Koepka is on site and will tee it up when the tournament begins on Thursday.

Koepka underwent knee surgery on March 16 and was at the practice facility hitting balls on Sunday before heading out onto the course for a practice round.

“If I knew I was going to finish second, I wouldn’t have shown up,” Koepka said.  “I feel I can win.  I’ll play, I’ll play.  I’ll be all right.”

Perhaps Koepka was motivated by comments from Brad Faxon last month on Sirius Radio when Faxon shared that he thought Keopka might be out for four-to-six months. After the surgery to correct a right knee cap dislocation and ligament damage.

Koepka said he was hitting balls six days after his surgery and underwent “seven-plus hours every day of rehab between getting my neck straightened away and then my knee.”

Koepka added:  “The goal was to play Augusta.  Here we are.”

Tsubasa Kajitana Survives Playoff, Wins Augusta National Women’s Amateur:

Japan’s Tsubasa Kajitani was the youngest player on the course at Augusta National Golf Club for last Saturday’s final round of the Augusta Nation Women’s Amateur and she was the one who survived a bunch of train wrecks that kept nearly a half-dozen players out of the winner’s circle.

There was no outstanding performance this go-round like the one Jennifer Kupcho came up with when she won at the inaugural event in 2019,  No, there were disasters everywhere and Kajitani survived one of her own.

She looked to be in control down the stretch but at the par four 17th, her second came up just short of the green but she got too aggressive with her chip and three putts later took a double-bogey six to go from one-under to one-over par.

It took a great up-and-down from her at the 18th to post par and a one-over total.  Emilia Migliaccio was already in a one-over and the wait was on for the other contenders to finish.

Tournament favorite Rose Zhang will look back and know that the triple-bogey eight she took at the par five 13th cost her the title.  She hooked her drive into Rae’s Creek, was unable to find the ball, hit her fourth into the creek short of the green and would end up taking an eight.

Ingrid Lindblad suffered back-to-back three-putts at the 15th and 16th holes to cost her the title.

By the time the final twosome finished, it was Kajitana and Migliaccio, a senior at Wake Forest, heading back down 18 for the playoff.  It ended quickly when Migliaccio ended up way right of the green in two and couldn’t save par while Kajitani two-putted from the back of the green, finishing off a five-footer for the win.

Kajitani shot 73-72-72 — 217 and became the first player from Japan to win at Augusta National.

“I can’t really imagine (the reception I will receive) when I’m back to Japan,” Kajitani said. “But hopefully everybody is happy and will enjoy, and I’m looking forward to going back to Japan.”

Six players – Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, Rachel Heck, Emma Spitz, Karen Fredgaard and second-round co-leaders Ingrid Lindblad and Rose Zhang – tied for third place, one stroke behind Kajitani and Migliaccio.  They will all look back and know they made mistakes on the back nine that cost them a shot at victory.

Kajitani, ranked No. 26 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking  entered the final round tied for fifth place.  She had back-nine birdies at 14 and 15.

“To be honest, when I came to the States, I didn’t expect that I’m going to win the tournament,” Kajitani said. “And then day-by-day I have been confident and then I won the tournament.”

ANWA Final Scoreboard: