Brooks Koepka misses short putts but stays close at Scottish Open

Brooks Koepka carded a 4-under 66 on Thursday at the Genesis Scottish Open, leaving him just one shot behind the leaders despite missing four putts inside 7 feet. The American struggled early but rallied to hit 14 greens and tally seven birdies, including a near hole-in-one at the par-3 ninth.

What happened at the Scottish Open?

Koepka’s round began poorly as he missed both fairways and greens at the 10th and 11th holes, along with par putts from 3 and 4 feet. He also whiffed a 7-footer for birdie at the par-5 third and a 20-incher at the seventh. Despite hitting only six fairways in regulation, he salvaged the round with strong ball-striking and seven birdies.

How did Koepka adjust his game?

The 34-year-old worked on his swing before the tournament, focusing on correcting an inside takeaway by keeping his right foot planted longer. He felt comfortable with his adjustments by the fifth or sixth hole. Koepka also noted that he made no mention of the arm numbness that had troubled him in recent starts, including a withdrawal at the RBC Canadian Open and a missed cut at the U.S. Open.

What’s next for Koepka?

Koepka is confident he can contend this week if he improves his putting inside 5 feet. He sits just behind co-leaders Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay, Tom Kim, and Bernd Wiesberger after the first round. The Renaissance Club in North Berwick will test his resilience as he aims for a strong finish.