AUGUSTA, GA. – When he missed the cut at the 2022 Masters, Brooks Koepka twice punched the window of the car carrying him from Augusta National Golf Club. Neither he nor the glass wound up on an injury report. "I guess Mercedes makes a pretty good back window," he said.
Friday, when he finished the second round at the 2023 Masters, he was in the lead, having shot a 67 to give him a three-shot advantage over Jon Rahm, who finished only 10 holes because of threatening weather.
Koepka has always thrown his best haymakers during major championships, and he's using this Masters to re-establish his credentials, tell his comeback story and provide constant reminders of just how tough and ambivalent he can be.
Koepka is a shrug in human form, which might be why it takes a major to grab his attention. He has won as many majors (four) as other PGA Tour events. With a healthy knee and the reappearance of his short, powerful swing and clutch putting, Koepka looks prepared to make it five.
Which is an interesting number, given the events of the past two days.
On Thursday, cameras captured his caddie, Ricky Elliott, saying "five" twice on the 15th fairway, in the vicinity of player Gary Woodland and his caddie.
Giving or asking for advice, such as club selection, would be a two-shot penalty, with the player being responsible for his caddie's actions.
The Masters reviewed the incident and interviewed the players and caddies and determined that no rule had been broken. Koepka said he thought Elliott was telling an on-course reporter that Koepka had just hit a 5-iron.