ORLANDO, Fla. — Brooks KoepkaHe is well-known for being a big player in the majors. He hit his stride Saturday, shooting a 6-under 65 to take a three-shot lead at LIV Golf-Orlando the weekend before Koepka leaves for the Masters.
Koepka played bogey free at Orange County National. Sebastian Munoz, from Colombia, was second. He followed his 62 with an equal-par 71.
Mito Pereira (66), Laurie Canter(66) Patrick Reed(67), was four shots behind.
Koepka will be trying to become the first multiple winner in the LIV Golf Saudi-funded tournament since it began last June. He won the playoff over a year ago in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Peter Uihlein. Koepka had previously won the Phoenix Open in February 2021, after he suffered a variety of injuries.
Koepka stated that he had “just got rid of the mental errors.”
He referred to his two previous LIV Golf tournaments in Mexico and Tucson, saying he made “dumb errors” at Mayakoba. “Then go to Tucson and play the tough holes really well and the easy ones probably as bad as the rest of the field.”
In three years, Koepka won four majors — two U.S. Opens and two PGA Championships. Next week, Augusta National will host the Masters.
He said, “Every time that I try to play the week prior to a major it’s always just for me to make sure my game in good shape.” Just try to make better choices than usual. I just want to be disciplined in golf. I have to go to majors and I am so disciplined. I sometimes get a little carefree at regular events firing at flags, missing on wrong side. Majors are different.
Dustin Johnson(70) and British Open champion Cameron SmithSeven shots behind were (68). LIV Golf will have 18 players at the Masters next week.
Smash leads Torque by two shots in the team competition.
This story was contributed by the Associated Press.
