Brooks Koepka wears shoes from 2016 Ryder Cup for first round of 3M Open

Until he made the turn in Round 1 of the 3M Open, Brooks Koepka had never seen the back nine at TPC Twin Cities, playing only the front side during practice and his pro-am spot this week.

But there was some familiarity along with Koepka on Thursday.

Koepka recently came across a pair of unworn shoes made for him during the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National. The 29-year-old world No. 1 already has his USA-winning gear in safekeeping and didn't have a need for another pair of shoes.

"So I figured this was a good place to break them out, since we're not too far" from Chaska, Koepka said of the red, white and blue kicks.

He wore the shoes Thursday, and beginning Friday fans can bid on them on the 3M Open website. The winning bid price will go to 3M's charity, and Koepka will match the amount.

"I'm going to get them cleaned up, sign them and hopefully they'll go to a good spot," Koepka said. "I just figured it would be cool. There's a lot of history behind these shoes and they were just sitting in my garage."

Koepka on Thursday made three birdies on that unfamiliar back nine and shot 4-under 67. That puts him five shots off the lead, but that didn't appear to faze the laid-back Floridian.

And that could become an annual summer challenge for fellow PGA Tour golfers.

"I really like it; this is a place I want to come back to," Koepka said. "I enjoy the layout and the setup of this place."

First off No. 10 in the morning wave, two-time PGA Tour winner Harris English was one of the early leaders after he made a 9-foot eagle putt on the par-5 12th, his third hole on Thursday. He hit a 3-iron some 250 yards that ran onto the green and settled near the hole.

"That's probably the closest I hit it all day," English said after he then made nine consecutive pars and shot a 2-under 69 that included a closing double-bogey 6 at the long ninth hole.

"Hitting it to 35 feet every hole, you're going to make a lot of pars."

"At 6:50 in the morning, not a lot of people want to come to a golf course unless they're playing," he said. "It filled in as the morning went on. It's going to be quite the crowd this week."

World 17th-ranked Tony Finau's 66 put him four shots off the lead in his return to Minnesota, where he visited relatives in his youth but had never played golf before.

"I've been here many times as a kid when I used to do luaus and shows," he said. "I used to dance out here, so it's been a while … I think I had a few fans out there. Not nearly as many as Phil [Mickelson], but I do have family here in Minneapolis."

Does he still dance?

"Polynesian dances, yeah," he said.