Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Essayist
LOS ANGELES — There were enough of golfers posting low ratings within the first two rounds of the 123rd U.S. Visible at Los Angeles Nation Membership.
PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka hasn’t been one among them.
“I’m not a huge fan of this place,” mentioned Koepka, who’s even par then 36 holes, on Friday. “I’m not a huge fan of blind tee shots, and then I think there’s just some spots that no matter what you hit, the ball just ends up in the same spot.
“I feel it might be extra a laugh to play games on similar to a common spherical than it might be a U.S. Visible. I cruel, there’s, what, two 8s the day before today? That doesn’t occur.”
Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele each poised the U.S. Visible scoring checklist with 8-under 62s about 30 minutes apart in Thursday’s opening round.
Koepka, a two-time U.S. Open champion, said he played better the past two days than he did in the final two rounds of last month’s PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York.
There, Koepka posted scores of 4-under 66 and 3-under 67 on the weekend to defeat Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler by 2 strokes to win the Wanamaker Trophy for the third time.
For whatever reason, Los Angeles Country Club’s North Course, which is hosting the U.S. Open for the first time, doesn’t suit him.
“I received majors on golfing classes that I haven’t actually appreciated difference,” Koepka said. “However, yeah, this one, I don’t know. It’s no longer my favourite.”
Koepka, captain of Smash GC in the LIV Golf League, was 10 strokes behind Fowler when he signed his scorecard Friday.
“Clearly, I were given to play games two just right rounds, in order that’s one thing I’ve to do,” Koepka said. “However unquestionably want to be additional up from the place I’m at. But it surely all relies what occurs lately, whether or not the air choices up. … Who is aware of what the ones guys are getting to get to.”
Koepka hit only 10 of 18 greens Friday. He carded a 1-under 69 in the round.
“I believed each and every pin place used to be high-quality,” Koepka said. “I didn’t assume anything else used to be actually tricked up. I supposition I simply didn’t play games that superior, so no longer getting to actually snatch a just right quantity.”
