He credited his group’s comfortable atmosphere.
“It was just a comfortable group,” Koepka said. “Everyone is just kind of feeding off each other, easy.
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Everyone’s having fun.”
The TPC Craig Ranch layout underwent a $25 million redesign by Lanny Wadkins, adding bunkers and reshaping greens.
“The greens are totally different than when we played,” Koepka noted. “Off the tee it looks pretty good.
Place hasn’t changed too much. It’s familiar.
I like it.”
A win would help Koepka qualify for $20 million signature events, from which he is currently barred due to his return from LIV Golf.
“(Winning) would be a big confidence boost for sure because I feel like I’ve been playing well,” he said.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who won last year’s event by eight shots, shot a 66 with three late birdies to sit three strokes back.
“I felt like I was getting lapped out there for a little bit,” Scheffler said.
“So I was fortunate to make a couple birdies late in the round and keep myself in the tournament.”
Si Woo Kim, Emiliano Grillo, Keith Mitchell, Stephan Jaeger, and Michael Thorbjornsen all shot 64 to share second place.
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Doug Ghim and Mackenzie Hughes are two shots back at 65.
