Former world number one Brooks Koepka admits his eyes are locked on Rory McIlroy ahead of the PGA Tour’s return at the Charles Schwab Challenge.
The four-time major winner won’t have to look far to find the current top dog in golf with Koepka playing alongside McIlroy and world number two, Jon Rahm for the first two rounds at Colonial Country Club.
Koepka is no stranger to the summit of the world golf rankings having held peak position for a combined 47 weeks across four separate spells but with McIlroy overtaking him in February, the fit-again Brooks is aiming to topple golf’s head honcho and return to the top of the mountain.
“Yeah, I’ve got eyes on Rory [McIlroy]”, Koepka said. “That’s the goal, to get back to No 1 in the world. That’s the whole point of playing is to be the best.
“If I do what I’m supposed to do, if I take care of my business, then I don’t see any reason why I couldn’t get back to that.
“I dug myself a hole, obviously, getting injured. But you play good, you win, everything will take care of itself.”
Koepka has suffered at the hands of a knee injury since October last year and after taking a three month hiatus to rehabilitate, he was starting to look good at the Players Championship in March until golf went into lockdown at the hands of Covid-19.
Far from resting over the extended break, Koepka’s put in further work and is feeling rejuvenated and ready to hit the ground running when golf resumes today in Fort Worth.
“It was definitely beneficial for me,” Koepka said about the break.
“I was able to kind of reassess where I was at, get the knee stronger. The knee is back. It’s a lot better.
“Then finally be able just to swing the club the right way and kind of get back to the process or the way of thinking that I had before. It’s been a blessing in disguise for me without a doubt, and I’m excited to see what happens here.
“I felt at The Players, it was starting to come around. I felt something positive. But right now, it’s a million times better. The swing feels like it’s in a great spot. “I’m controlling ball flights, controlling spin, yardages, putting it good, chipping it good. I feel like a new person, honestly.
“The way I’m able to move right now is a lot better than I was three months ago, four months ago, and I’m excited. It really is going to be fun to tee it up again.
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