PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Chase Koepka, the younger brother of four-time major champion Brooks Koepka and the healthiest of the golfing Koepkas, got off to a hot start on a blustery Thursday afternoon in the first round of the Honda Classic.
Koepka, who is playing on a sponsor’s exemption, started on the difficult back nine of the Champion course at PGA National Resort & Spa and made a five-foot birdie putt on the 11th hole. After a couple of pars, he sank a 16-footer for birdie at the 14th and made a 45-foot birdie putt at the par-3 15th.
“He’s been playing good coming in, he’s striking the ball well, he’s putting really good,” said Koepka’s father, Bob, as he walked along the first fairway. “He kind of stole one there on 15 with a 45-foot birdie. He’s playing smart golf. Not making any mistakes. You keep a clean card out here, you’ve done a great job, especially with this wind. It’s not easy. You’ve got to pick your lines and commit to them, and obviously, he’s done that.”
HONDA: Field by the ranking | Leaderboard | Photos | Tee times
Brooks Koepka had to withdraw from the Honda because of a knee injury. Bob Koepka is recovering from heart surgery last week, but he was determined to follow Chase, 27, who lives in West Palm Beach and plays on the Korn Ferry Tour.
“I’m happy to be out here, I had open-heart surgery nine days ago,” said Koepka, explaining that he was born with a bicuspid aortic valve, which limited how much blood his heart could pump. “They scheduled it for the 9th of March and I said, ‘I’ve got to walk 18 holes on the 18th, is that possible?’ and (the doctor) said, ‘I see no reason why not.’ I’m doing great.”
After making the turn at 3 under par, Chase bogeyed Nos. 1 and 2, birdied No. 3 and bogeyed No. 4 before settling down. He reeled off five consecutive two-putt pars to finish at 1-under-par 69.
“I talked to him Tuesday after his practice round and he said he had a great nine on the back nine,” Bob Koepka said. “He said, ‘I was hitting my lines … I’m feeling good, I’ve just got to make sure I get the speed of the greens down and I’ll be fine.’”
Chase Koepka takes a putter from his caddie on the 18th hole during the first round of the 2021 Honda Classic at PGA National (Photo: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)
The forgotten man
Keith Mitchell won the 2019 Honda Classic by sinking a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole to defeat local favorites and Jupiter residents Rickie Fowler and Brooks Koepka by one shot for his first PGA Tour victory.
Most fans were hoping for a playoff and didn’t know much about Mitchell, now 29, who jokes about his lack of notoriety.
That was never more evident than on the first tee. First to tee off was Sungjae Im of Korea, who was introduced as the 2020 Honda Classic defending champion. Then Mitchell was introduced as being from Sea Island, Georgia. He was followed by Fowler, who was introduced as the 2017 Honda champion.
The slight didn’t bother Mitchell. He birdied the first two holes en route to shooting a 69, which put him in a tie for 27th.
Stuard’s folly
Brian Stuard set an unfortunate record Thursday, posting the highest score ever on the par-3 17th hole — an octuple-bogey 11.
Stuard, who started on the back nine, was 2 over par when he got to the tee of the 164-yard hole. His tee shot came up short in the water. After a one-stroke penalty, he dropped on the teebox and hit his third shot into the bunker behind the green.
His sand shot went into the water so, after another penalty stroke, he dropped in the bunker and hit his sixth shot into the water. After a third penalty stroke, he hit his eighth shot out of the bunker onto dry land, chipped onto the green and two-putted for his 8-over-par 11.
Stuard followed that with a birdie at the 18th to make the turn with a 9-over 44. He shot even par on the front nine to finish with a 79.