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After an injury scare Brooks Koepka says he is good to go.
Over the weekend Koepka experienced a mysterious ailment at the RBC Canadian Open. Entering the third round just two shots back of the lead, Koepke felt pain in his arm and hand and found himself unable to grip a club during warm-ups. He had a trainer follow him throughout his day and ultimately got treatment mid-round en route to a two-over 72, dropping him 25 spots down the board. The following day he withdrew from the tournament, citing pain.
In itself the injury news would be disconcerting, amplified by the fact that this week is the U.S. Open, at the site of his title defense in 2018, no less. Despite the injury, Koepka is at Shinnecock Hills and intends to tee it up.
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“It’s getting better day by day. I would say yesterday was pretty much how it was Sunday, but today there was quite a bit of improvement,” Koepka said. “I don’t think I would have gone out and played if it wasn’t.
“I think it’s just the ulnar nerve, just flared up a little bit. I don’t know what I did. I know I came back Friday. Didn’t go to the gym on Friday. We came back, and it was probably about 8. We were watching a show, and I just kept playing with my wrist, and it just felt like it was very weak and kind of a tingly feeling as if you kind of hit your funny bone. That’s kind of how it felt in my ring finger and pinky finger.”
Koepka said the symptoms and pain were worrisome enough to get a scan on his neck, but the results were encouraging. Still, until Tuesday he struggled to swing.
“It’s literally just my ring finger and pinky finger were just kind of—and the transition coming down, they would come off. It felt like they were coming off the golf club, but they were just very weak,” Koepka explained. “Then as soon as impact would come with the turf interaction, it felt like it was fully off.
“So excited to be able to hold a golf club again.”
Koepka will go off at 8:14 a.m. Thursday with defending U.S. Open champ J.J. Spaun and amateur Mason Howell.
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Main Image: Kate McShane
