Brooks Koepka’s goal for Shriners Open to ‘keep winning’

The spotlight is shining straight connected Brooks Koepka this week arsenic the Shriners Children’s Open begins Thursday astatine TPC Summerlin. He wants to support it that mode arsenic the week progresses.

The astir high-profile subordinate successful the field, Koepka is hoping to enactment 2021 down him, a twelvemonth helium calls disappointing. Such are the standards erstwhile you’ve won 4 large championships successful the past 4 years.

Koepka’s 2021 included a triumph astatine the Waste Management Open extracurricular Phoenix, a runner-up decorativeness astatine the PGA Championship and top-six finishes astatine the U.S. Open and British Open.

Most everyone astatine TPC Summerlin this week would emotion to person specified a disappointing year.

“I conscionable privation to support winning. I deliberation that’s the goal,” helium said of his hopes for the caller season. “That’s what I’m retired present to bash is to win, to triumph aggregate times and past astir apt enactment steadfast is astir apt a bully goal.”

Koepka did woody with an array of injuries passim the year, with issues with some his hep and genu astatine assorted points of the season. But his show astatine the Ryder Cup 2 weeks agone gives him assurance his assemblage is feeling amended and his crippled is connected the close trajectory heading into 2 consecutive weeks successful Las Vegas.

If helium hopes to triumph this week, Koepka volition astir apt person to spell low. Really low. Martin Laird won past twelvemonth astatine 23-under 261 connected a people that offers small absorption if the upwind isn’t blowing.

“Last twelvemonth shocked maine a spot with the 7-under cut. That was very, precise debased scoring,” Louis Oosthuizen said of the tournament. “It’s a play people that has, disconnected the tee, wide fairways and you tin really, truly onslaught it. You’re going to spot a batch of birdies astir this play course.”

Koepka knows if his crippled is on, he’s acceptable for that challenge.

“I’ve ever liked it here,” helium said. “I deliberation it’s ever been a bully people for me. I’ve either benignant of been close up determination with a accidental to win, oregon it’s conscionable been 2 days and battalion your bags.”

Koepka says he’s acceptable to play, adjacent though clip disconnected could assistance with each the nagging injuries.

“I ever effort to instrumentality my breaks, but I similar playing if I tin play a mates of weeks successful a row,” helium said. “Usually my archetypal week retired isn’t precise bully … my second, 3rd week retired is usually the amended of it.”

Koepka’s Ryder Cup teammate, Scottie Scheffler, besides chose to play the Shriners not lone to get his competitory juices flowing, but to debar falling down to commencement the season.

“I privation determination was much clip wherever determination was nary tournaments going on,” Scheffler said. “But if FedEx Cup points are being accrued and guys are retired present playing and winning tournaments, I consciousness a small spot weird sitting astatine home.”

Koepka, Scheffler and Oosthuizen are among a ample contingent of players successful the tract who volition stay successful Las Vegas for different week to play the CJ Cup astatine The Summit Club. It’s a people fewer of the players person ever seen.

Scheffler said those playing the Shriners mightiness get a small leap connected the contention adjacent week.

“Luckily, we’re successful the aforesaid metropolis already, truthful I won’t beryllium successful a unreserved to get retired there,” helium said. “I’ll person plentifulness of clip to get utilized to the people and the environment.”

Greg Robertson covers play for the Review-Journal. He tin beryllium reached astatine grobertson@reviewjournal.com.