Brooks Koepka, who won the U.S. Open the last time it was played at Shinnecock, is dealing with an injury that threatens to hamper his bid to repeat his 2018 feat this week at the venerable windswept course on Eastern Long Island.
According to a report in Golfweek, Koepka — who withdrew from the final round of the Canadian Open on Sunday — spent Monday in Manhattan undergoing scans of the C5 and C6 vertebrae in his neck.
In 2021, he herniated the C6 and C7 vertebrae.
Koepka said he began experiencing weakness in the pinky and ring fingers of his left hand after his second round in Canada on Friday night, and it flared up again when he began his warmup Saturday, making it difficult to grip the golf club.
Koepka, a five-time major winner and two-time winner of the U.S. Open, was not at Shinnecock Hills on Monday but told Golfweek he plans to be there Tuesday, although how much he’ll be able to play is uncertain.
Koepka has no plans to withdraw, however, adding, “I’m gonna go this week.”
Wyndham Clark is back at the U.S. Open, looking for some “redemption” after a disappointing showing at Oakmont last year that ended with him missing the cut and damaging a locker at the club.
It was an episode that Clark is still remorseful about a year later.
“That was a really challenging time and something I’ve deeply regretted and feel awful that I did that,” Clark said. “But there were so many good lessons in that that really taught me a bunch. I’ve really come a long way, and I’m excited for this year’s Open for some redemption and to move forward and enjoy the challenges of Shinnecock and how great this place is and how amazing this championship is.”
The incident was not addressed further during his media availability Monday.
Clark was banned by Oakmont for the outburst, but the club would consider lifting the ban if he paid for the damages, made a charitable contribution and took anger management courses.
Clark arrived at Shinnecock three years removed from his first U.S. Open title back in 2023, when he beat out Rory McIlroy by one stroke at Los Angeles Country Club.
He did not play a practice round Monday but said he played the course before this week with a friend who is a member.
“I personally love this place because I grew up at Cherry Hills, and that’s a William Flynn course,” Clark said. “So is Shinnecock. There’s even little connections that way. Already before I came here, I was already excited to play it just because of that connection.”
Jackson Koivun’s appearance at this year’s U.S. Open will mark his final tournament as an amateur player.
The Auburn junior, and one of the most decorated collegiate golfers in the sport, announced last week that he would forgo his senior season and join the PGA Tour beginning in July.
Koivun, the No. 1-ranked amateur golfer, could have turned pro after his sophomore year, but he just felt he wasn’t in the right place to make that jump.
“I think my golf game was there,” he explained. “I just think I wasn’t ready to leave college, and mentally just wasn’t ready for the potential hardships and the travel and everything like that. But taking another year to really wrap my mind around that was good for me, and now I’m definitely ready.”
The San Jose native helped Auburn win two national championships and won the Ben Hogan Award twice.
His 11 collegiate wins put him in the same space as Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods — all of whom racked up double-digit victories during their college careers.
