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A18 SPORTS
Thursday 23 augusT 2018
Koepka looking to put a great finish on a great year

By DOUG FERGUSON with the top 70 reaching in the U.S. Open.
AP Golf Writer the BMW Championship at Two months later, he be-
PARAMUS, N.J. (AP) — The Aronimink and the top 30 came the first player since
majors are done for the going to the Tour Champi- Tiger Woods in 2000 to win
year. Brooks Koepka is not. onship at East Lake, which the U.S. Open and PGA
Koepka is one week re- most players are starting Championship in the same
moved from winning the to regard as the promised year.
PGA Championship which, land. "I guess it's like having an
to go along with his sec- "It's one of my goals every animal in a cage and
ond straight U.S. Open title, year to make it to Atlanta," you open that cage and
gives him a sensational Justin Thomas said. "No they just can't wait to get
season by anyone's stan- matter what I'm ranked in out," Koepka said. "The
dards. Tiger Woods called the world, or how many competition I missed so
Koepka a lock to win PGA wins I've had, if you're one much. There's absolutely
Tour player of the year. of the top 30 players over no competition sitting on
Koepka doesn't believe the course of a year, you the couch. The only thing I
that's the case. And a look still have to be doing some- was competing in was who
at his FedEx Cup playoff re- thing right." could eat the most. And
cord is all the motivation he A lot has gone right for Ko- I was doing a really good
needs. epka in a year that began job at that."
In three years of being so wrong. Koepka has a chance to
eligible for the PGA Tour's The pain he felt in his left reach No. 1 in the world this
postseason, Koepka has wrist in early December week, though he is thinking
one top-10 finish. He has never went away over the more about the next four
started inside the top 20 holidays, and after finish- tournaments, and the $10
each of the last three years ing 37 shots behind Dustin million bonus that awaits
and has yet to improve Johnson at Kapalua, he the next FedEx Cup cham-
his standing when the four was out for four months. He pion.
playoff events were over. spent some two months in "I just haven't shown up," he
One year, he didn't make a soft cast to let the par- said.
it beyond the third playoff tially torn tendon heal, and Jordan Spieth won the Fe-
event. wound up missing the Mas- dEx Cup in 2015 by treat-
"Sitting back and reflecting ters. ing the final event at East
on it, how cool is it to be "I remember when I took Lake as if it were a major,
player of the year? It would Brooks Koepka lines up a putt during a practice round for the the soft cast off, and I went going through the same
Northern Trust golf tournament in Paramus, N.J., Wednesday,
be such an honor," Koep- Aug. 22, 2018. to push down on the sham- routine he kept in winning
ka said Wednesday. "But I Associated Press poo bottle or the soap the Masters and U.S. Open
need to finish it off. I want bottle, it hurt to do that," that year. Koepka is head-
to come out in the playoffs of recent rain, which also of them have shown some Koepka said. "I was like, ed down that road. He has
and actually perform, and means the course is ex- degree of form to get here. 'Man, I'm in for a really long rented houses for the next
hopefully, leave it where tremely soft. Dustin John- Five players are missing recovery.'" three weeks, just like at the
there is no option." son, the world's No. 1 play- because of injuries (Henrik Koepka had no assurances majors, and he is bringing
It starts Thursday at The er and the top seed in the Stenson, Rickie Fowler, Bud he would have a full re- his trainer, chef and the
Northern Trust on a course FedEx Cup, rarely hit a shot Cauley), a wedding to at- covery that allowed him to regular crew.
that might remind him of from the fairway without tend (Patrick Rodgers) or compete. Months later, his "I'm trying to bring that at-
Bellerive, where Koepka splotches of mud on his golf an extra week of rest (Rory return was nothing short of titude of how important the
set the PGA Championship ball. McIlroy). amazing. In his third start, majors are to these weeks,"
scoring record at 264. And this is one of the stron- With the points worth qua- he was runner-up at Co- he said. "I'm trying to be
Ridgewood Country Club is gest fields of the year. druple value, the top 100 lonial. Three weeks later better about making sure
plenty long at 7,385 yards The FedEx Cup playoffs after this week advance at Shinnecock Hills, he be- that every PGA Tour event
for a par 71. The rough is begin with the top 125 on to the second stage at came the first player in 29 I am as focused as I am at
thicker than usual because the PGA Tour, meaning all the TPC Boston next week, years to win back-to-back the majors."q

Federer, Djokovic headline

rosters for Laver Cup in Chicago

NEW YORK (AP) — Roger world in the second year of Martin del Potro and Diego
Federer and Wimbledon the competition on Sept. Schwartzman will play on
champion Novak Djokovic 21-23. the World team along with
will headline the team from Joining Federer and Americans John Isner and
Europe next month in the Djokovic will be Alexander Jack Sock, Wimbledon run-
Laver Cup. Zverev of Germany, Grigor ner-up Kevin Anderson of
The rosters for the exhibi- Dimitrov of Bulgaria, David South Africa and Australian
tion matches in Chicago Goffin of Belgium and Kyle Nick Kyrgios.
Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, serves to Roger Federer, of Switzer- were announced Tuesday. Edmund of Britain. Only Ed- Europe won the inaugu-
land, during the finals at the Western & Southern Open tennis
tournament, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018, in Mason, Ohio. A six-player team from Eu- mund is not ranked among ral event last year. John
Associated Press rope will face a team of the top-10 players in the McEnroe and Bjorn Borg
players from the rest of the world. Argentina's Juan return as coaches.q