CHASKA, Minn. — So much for rookie jitters.
Brooks Koepka, the only rookie to automatically qualify for the U.S. Ryder Cup team, had no trouble dealing with the pressure of playing in his first Ryder Cup.
Partnered with Brandt Snedeker in the afternoon four-balls, Koepka hit a thunderous drive off the first tee at Hazeltine on Friday and went on to make birdie on the first and third holes to spark his team to the lone U.S. point in the afternoon during the opening day. Koepka and Snedeker buried Martin Kaymer and Danny Willett, 5 and 4, helping the U.S. to a 5-3 lead heading into Saturday’s round.
“We got off to a good start and we both kept the ball in play,” Koepka said. “I drove it really well. I felt like I hit quite a few greens and it seemed every time Brandt was on the greens, he made a putt. I felt like we were always one step ahead. We played really well as a team today.”
Koepka, ranked 22nd in the world, didn’t play in the morning foursomes, but he played well enough to earn a start Saturday morning, when he’ll pair with Snedeker again in foursomes.
“It’s hard to sit guys out that win,” U.S. captain Davis Love III said.
Koepka spent Friday morning watching his teammates tee-off on the opening hole.
“Everybody wants to play every match,” he said. “If you’re not going play, you’ve got to be there to support the guys. That was the big thing.”
He was so excited, he went to sleep. Yep, he slept until his afternoon tee time. As the round got underway it became clear his was the only match where the Americans were ahead.
“You know what’s going on,” he said. “We just tried to play well and get the crowd going and get the crowd pumped up and see if we could turn the other matches around.”
While Koepka had three birdies, Snedeker added four as they pounded Kaymer, a Ryder Cup veteran, and Willett, the Masters champion playing in his first Ryder Cup. Though it didn’t look like it, Koepka admitted to being nervous.
“That first tee shot was unbelievable,” he said. “It’s nothing like anything else.”
It was unclear how Koepka would play. He had a poor FedEx Cup, failing to qualify for the Tour Championship after finishing tied for 70th at Barclays, tied for 57th at Deutsche Bank and tied for 34th at the BMW. But he performed well under pressure Friday.
“He did everything you could want to put pressure on people,” Snedeker said. “It was not the [team] session we wanted in the afternoon, but it’s something to build on for Brooks and I, and hopefully the team for tomorrow.”