Brooks Koepka matched the TPC Sawgrass course record on Sunday morning at The Players Championship and one big scoop at the par-5 16th hole helped the cause. It was there that Koepka one-hop dunked his approach shot from 206 yards out in the fairway. If you put your drive in the right spot, the 16th can certainly be a two-shot par-5 for everyone in the field and we saw Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bella post an albatross there last year.
Brooks Koepka dunks in 4th double eagle in Players Championship history
A course-record round from the reigning U.S. Open champion was keyed by a ridiculous stretch through TPC Sawgrass’ 16th and 17th holes.
This year it was Koepka’s turn to take aim after a 308-yard drive. The hole helped slow this one, but it wasn’t exactly flying past when it went in — it was just perfect into that traditional Sunday right pin.
In extremely Koepka fashion, he reacted with a moderate smile and simple high-five for his caddie and playing partner. Koepka is a legendary hardass that never emotes much for good or bad and this albatross test confirmed that.
The double eagle was a quick way to make up three strokes and Koepka’s 63 has launched him into a tie for third place at the moment. After that hole-out, he then stuffed one inside five feet at the island 17th hole. That led to an easy birdie and going 2-2 through the 16th and 17th holes is as good as it gets. The leaders will probably take a 4-2 or a 4-3 in a few hours down in that corner of the course.
Koepka is not the only one setting a flamethrower to Sawgrass on Sunday. Justin Rose made six birdies in seven holes on the back nine and Justin Thomas is 4-under through his first six holes on the front nine. Low scores are definitely out there and that’s what Tiger Woods fans probably want to hear. For him to have a chance to even be in contention, he needs to post a number around Koepka’s 63 and hope that Webb Simpson blows a tire and posts something at or over par. Woods will start at 8-under while Simpson ran out to a seven-shot lead over second place and is 19-under.
But these low scores are at least demonstrating it’s a possibility on what could be a closer Sunday at the Players than expected.
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