Brooks Koepka has started the PGA Championship with encouraging form, and his improved results come with a more settled personal life behind him. The five-time major winner said the off-course issues that weighed on him last season have eased, and that change has made it easier to focus on golf again.
Koepka opened at Aronimink Golf Club outside Philadelphia as one of 33 players to break 70 in the first round. That strong start fits a season trend in which every cut he has made has ended with a top-20 finish.
A tougher year before the turnaround
Last season was not just a difficult stretch on the course for Koepka. He also dealt with family pain, including a miscarriage his wife, Jena Sims, suffered at 16 weeks pregnant.
Koepka said after his opening round that “a lot of family issues” took a toll on him and affected his play. He described that period as “kind of tough to deal with,” and added that the situation at home was “in a much better place” now.
He said the difference is clear in how he approaches work each week. “It’s easier to come out to work when everything at home lines up,” Koepka said, adding that last year was “just difficult personally” because of what was happening away from golf.
A fresh start on the course
Koepka also told Golf.com last week that he has rediscovered some of the enjoyment that had gone missing. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had fun playing golf,” he said, while noting that he had been “very frustrated” last year.
He added that being happier off the course often shows up in performance on it. “Refound my happiness, my love for the game. All the pieces are connected,” Koepka said.
That outlook appears to match his current run of results. After an uneven start in his return to the PGA Tour, including a T55 at the Farmers Insurance Open and a missed cut at the Waste Management Open, his finishes have generally improved and have ranged from T9 to T18 despite two more missed cuts.
Chasing another PGA Championship title
Koepka is now trying to win the PGA Championship for a fourth time. He already owns titles from 2018, 2019 and 2023, and another victory would put him alongside Walter Hagen, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only four-time winners of the event.
His first round suggested that the combination of steadier form and a better situation at home may be helping. For Koepka, the early signs at Aronimink point to a player who feels more comfortable both on and off the course.
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