AUGUSTA, Ga. – After rushing back to play the Masters, Brooks Koepka was headed home early.
With rounds of 74-75 at Augusta National, Koepka missed the cut to end a streak of 24 consecutive made cuts in the majors. He was at 5-over 149, two shots above the cut line.
“How disappointed do you think I am?” he said afterward. “I worked my ass off just to get here, and then to play like this is pretty disappointing.”
Koepka underwent surgery last month after dislocating his kneecap during what he said was a “freak accident.” Typically, that injury requires a six-month rehabilitation, but Koepka was back inside the ropes less than a month later.
Though he struck the ball well at times, Koepka’s putter was “ice cold” during the opening two rounds. Left unsaid was that, because of his knee, he couldn’t crouch behind the ball and had to resort to all sorts of creative ways to read Augusta’s notoriously difficult greens.
As for his knee, Koepka reported no further setbacks: “It feels better than I thought it would, so I’m pretty pleased.”
The world No. 11 wasn’t sure whether he would play another tournament before the PGA Championship, scheduled for May 20-23 at Kiawah Island.
“I won’t miss it, I know that,” he said.