BROOKS TRENDING TOWARD MORE ‘TUNE-UP’ SUCCESS BEFORE NEXT WEEK’S MAJOR

And yet, the last time the Smash GC captain teed it up before a major, he ended up winning LIV Golf Orlando.

That was in April, the week before the Masters, as Koepka became the first two-time LIV winner, holding off Torque GC’s Sebastian Munoz by a stroke.

The four-time major champion carried over the momentum to Augusta National, sharing the lead after the first round and then taking the solo lead after 36 and 54 holes. He eventually tied for second with fellow LIV Golf captain Phil Mickelson of HyFlyers GC, four shots behind winner Jon Rahm.

Koepka, Mickelson and 16 other LIV Golf League regulars will compete in next week’s PGA Championship at Oak Hill. Koepka will use this week at Cedar Ridge to get his game prepped for a run at his third Wanamaker Trophy, having won back-to-back PGAs in 2018 (Bellerive) and 2019 (Bethpage Black).

Of course, he’s playing well enough that another pre-major victory is certainly possible. His game remains red-hot, as he comes off a solo third at LIV Golf Singapore, one stroke out of the playoff in which Talor Gooch beat Sergio Garcia.

“Just trying to make sure I tune everything up, get ready for next week,” Koepka said Thursday. “I like the majors. I like the discipline, the mental grind that comes with it all, the focus, and just use this week to get ready. That's a huge thing.

“I've always done it. It's not always about results the week before, but it's about making sure that everything is starting to line up and I can see the progress and see where we're going to be for next week.”

Koepka’s previous visit to Oak Hill came in 2013 when he made his PGA Championship debut. He tied for 70th that week, playing with Tiger Woods in the final round. He also had a new caddie – Ricky Elliott, who has remained on his bag ever since.

“He showed up 30 minutes late,” Koepka said with a smile. “I can't believe he's still with me, but we worked it out. …

“It was a cool week, a fun week for me. It'll be cool to go back. I know the golf course has changed, been redesigned a little bit. I don't think there's as many trees, but it'll be cool for me and Rick.”

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