The 2013 SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge champion underwent surgery just under a month ago to repair a dislocation and ligament damage to his right knee.
That seemed certain to rule him out of the season’s opening major, but the 30-year-old has rolled up at Augusta National and says he is ready to battle the pain barrier.
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Hide Ad“There's like an internal brace they put in there right where the screw is,” said Koepka of his right knee. “They had to put it there just because it's still broken.”
Koepka, who tied for second behind Tiger Woods in 2019, said he was having most problems walking downhill on the undulating Georgia course. He also admitted that bending down to pick up his ball was quite a palaver.
"It [walking downhill] puts all the pressure on the patella. It's going to hurt downhill,” he said.
"I can't bend down. My knee doesn't go. I mean, that's the most stress you're going to have on your patella. I don't have that much motion in my knee.
"Prone I can get it to about 90 degrees and that's about it. But getting down, it's going to look funny."
Despite his preparation not exactly being how he’d been planning and admitting that he needs extensive physiotherapy to get him and running every morning, Koepka is quietly confident that he can give a decent account of himself.
"Game feels fine. Game is good. Playing good,” he said. “I like how I'm swinging it. Everything should be fine.”