Brooks Koepka stunned the golfing world when he made his return to the PGA Tour from LIV Golf at the start of 2026.
Koepka desperately wanted to return to the PGA Tour and that much was obvious by his willingness to agree to so many different terms and conditions, including a $5 million payment to charity.
However, the five-time major champion has struggled to rediscover his very best form on the PGA Tour.
Who will win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson this week? 🏆
Scheffler won by eight strokes last year… 🏌️
He has just one top-10 finish to his name so far but his results don’t really reflect the quality of golf that he has been producing.
Koepka’s putting has held him back on the PGA Tour so far this season.
And once his putting clicks, he may well be a very hard man to beat.
Five reasons why Brooks Koepka will be hard to beat at the U.S. Open
There is a very good chance that Koepka will contend at Shinnecock Hills next month, and if anything comes together, he might just win.
Improved putting
Koepka’s rolled the ball beautifully on day one of the CJ CUP Byron Nelson. He put a new putter in his bag at the start of the week and he looked supremely confident with the flat-stick in his hands. Hopefully his first round in McKinney, Texas, was not a one-off.
Consistently brilliant approach play
Koepka’s approach play has been truly sensational since he returned to the PGA Tour in January. The 36-year-old American is ranked third in strokes gained approach so far this season. It is the one part of his game that has been consistently elite over the past four months.
Superb driving
Koepka struggled with his driver at Augusta National last month. However, he realized after his first round that his driver was set to the wrong settings. As soon as he changed it back to its original setting, he began driving the ball beautifully. He cruises a 179 mph ball speed and can crank that up into the 180s if need be. There aren’t much better things in the game than watching Koepka in full flow hitting that soft butter cut with the driver.
Winning mentality and feel-good feeling at Shinnecock Hills
Koepka has nothing but good memories at Shinnecock.
He has won at Shinnecock Hills before
Koepka won the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in 2018 by one stroke from Tommy Fleetwood. The difficulty of the golf course suits the 36-year-old’s qualities down to the ground. He is one of the best in the game at grinding out scores on tough golf courses and the feel-good factor will undoubtedly return to Koepka as soon as he steps foot on property at Shinnecock next month.
Who looks more likely to win the CJ CUP Byron Nelson after the opening round?
Scottie is three shots back of Brooks at TPC Craig Ranch
Elite winning mentality
Koepka is not interested in amassing top-10 finishes. He’s not even interested in finishing second. All the 36-year-old cares about is winning golf tournaments. While that means he is left disappointed more than most, it is a mentality that helps him get the job done when the pressure is at its most intense. If he gets in contention at the U.S. Open, there are no concerns that he will wilt under the pressure.
Brooks Koepka seems to be trending nicely with the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills now just four weeks away.
And it really shouldn’t surprise anybody if he goes on to win.
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