Brooks Koepka: “Nobody has hit it better than me this week”
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World No. 1 Brooks Koepka says he has hit the ball as good as he ‘could possibly imagine’ this week but ‘really bad’ putting has left him needing a lot of help if he wants to win the Open on Sunday
Brooks Koepka was frustrated after he failed to capitalise on the greens at Royal Portrush for a third day in a row after a four-under 67 left him seven-shots behind Shane Lowry heading in to the final round.
The World No.1 has averaged 29 putts for each of the first three rounds of the 148th Open Championship, but it’s been the thorn in his side during a week that has by his own admission been nothing short of a ball-striking masterclass.
Koepka currently sits tied for 4th place but will start the final round seven shots behind 54-hole leader Shane Lowry, and was left frustrated and disappointed that a better performance with the putter at any point this week would have given him a better chance to win the title.
“Nobody has hit it better than me this week,” Koepka said after his round. “I’ve hit it as good as I could possibly imagine. I putted the worst in the entire field, if you look at strokes gained. I don’t know if they have that. It’s been really bad. Very frustrating. Disappointed.
“They feel like good putts when they come off the blade. But they’re burning the edge. That’s the only thing I can say. They feel like good putts. They’re all tap-ins right there. The speed is fine.
“Links golf you know you’re not going to get fast greens. You know you’re going to be a little bit on the slower side. And sometimes it’s just I haven’t hit them and when I feel like they’re good putts they just burn the edge. I think there’s some weeks where you just don’t make anything.”
Koepka, who has two runner-up finishes and a victory in the three previous majors of the year, is aware that he will need a lot of help if he is to win his first Open and fifth major title on Sunday.
“Thankfully it’s going to blow tomorrow to have any sort of chance,” he said, making it clear that he hopes the tough weather conditions predicted will work in his favour.
“I need it. Being, what, 7 back. Here you need some wind, you need some rain. You need anything that can kind of go your way. And that’s got to be an advantage.
“Especially the way I’m striking the ball. I’ve struck it so good. If it’s going to be windy, you need to be able to strike it good, control your flight, and figure out where you want the ball to end up. If it’s going to blow 30, it can get out of control very quickly.
“Seven back, that’s the way I look at it. It’s been disappointing. It’s just not the week I’ve been looking forward — not the week that I’ve expected. But at the same time, there’s one more round, so I need to figure it out.
“I just need to putt good one day. So I’m about to go do a whole bunch of work on that putting green and see if I can somehow confidence, somehow find anything.”
Koepka (-9) will tee off in the penulimate group with J.B Holmes at 13.37pm local time. Click here for full list of final round tee times
