Brooks Koepka inconsistent, but managed to force playoff at Byron Nelson
Left in smoldering ashes Sunday afternoon was the other 15-under 265 game of Brooks Koepka, the so-called “other guy” in the sudden death playoff of the AT&T Byron Nelson.
Leading for most of the day and seemingly finding every fortunate bounce or recovery throughout his final round and most of the week, Koepka finished as runner-up to Sergio Garcia in the playoffs after closing with a 71.
I just had no idea where my wedges were going, we were pushing and pulling wedges 40 yards today.
Brooks Koepka on his struggles despite forcing a playoff
But despite a lead at one point that grew to as many as three shots in the final round, the former Florida State golfer was leaking oil from tee to green long before his double bogey in the playoff hole.
“I mean I still hit it the way I did yesterday,” Koepka said. “I just had no idea where my wedges were going; we were pushing and pulling wedges 40 yards today.
“I was backing off the ball a lot and I never felt like I really had a chance to go at a flag. We were in the rough a lot, too, and that’s not exactly where you want to be. I just had no idea where the ball was going.”
The statistics prove that as well, with Koepka hitting four of 14 fairways on Sunday and just 54 percent for all four rounds.
He managed to play the front nine in 1-under Sunday before signs of a wild ride on the back began to emerge at the par-4 10th hole.
Koepka blasted his driver up the left side, expecting the ball to cut back into the fairway.
But his shot ended up in the fairway bunker, where another nice recovery left 28 feet of green to negotiate for a par.
After another par at the short par-4 11th, Koepka’s fade overworked his tee shot into the right rough.
He was forced to hit a wedge short of the green and get up and down for par there as well.
Another up and down on No. 13 gave Koepka another par before his tee shot on No. 14 found the left rough.
I guess I kind of centered myself on No. 16, but we hit it so far right over there, I mean you just can’t be over there.
Brooks Koepka on his 6-foot par saver on No. 16
That started a run of back-to-back bogeys and wayward shots that proved too much to overcome.
Koepka stopped some of the damage with a 6-foot par saver on No. 16.
“I guess I kind of centered myself on No. 16, but we hit it so far right over there, I mean you just can’t be over there,” Koepka said. “I knew if you tried to get cute you could leave it in that bunker.
“But it is what it is, it’s disappointing, but I’ll live.”
This story was originally published May 22, 2016 at 8:33 PM with the headline "Brooks Koepka inconsistent, but managed to force playoff at Byron Nelson."