Brooks Koepka finishes strong at Cognizant Classic thanks to putting

PALM BEACH GARDENS — The swagger was back Sunday for Brooks Koepka . So was the most important club in the bag: Confidence.

The five-time major champion enjoyed his finest day on the PGA Tour since leaving LIV Golf last December. Koepka shot a 6-under 65 on the Champion Course to move into the top 10 when he finished the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches.

“I played really solid the last three days,” Koepka said. “Putter obviously has gotten better. I haven't looked at the stats, but just that little adjustment (he made) Thursday night made a huge difference. Finally found some confidence.”

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Koepka made that comment despite three-putting for par from 55 feet on the 18 ^th  hole, lipping out a 4-footer. Koepka was ranked 15 ^th  in Strokes Gained: Putting for the week. After taking 34 putts during a first-round 74, Koepka needed 27 in each of the last three rounds.

“It was just the putter,” said Koepka, who switched to a mallet putter at the WM Phoenix Open. “It felt like because I wasn't making any putts, I had to hit it to tap-in, so it was putting pressure on the iron play, maybe being more aggressive off the tee.

“To be able to make a few of those putts, you can kind of build a rhythm and build momentum.”

Playing in his hometown PGA Tour event for the first time since 2022, Koepka enjoyed having family and old friends watching him the last four days at PGA National Resort. The West Palm Beach native used to be a standard bearer at the event when he was in high school.

Brooks Koepka not eligible for this week's Arnold Palmer Invitational

As part of his agreement to return to the PGA Tour, Koepka is not eligible to play in this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. He will play in the star-filled Seminole Member-Guest on March 2 before starting preparations for The Players.

Koepka said it’s business as usual for him after having played three events on the PGA Tour this year. No more adjustments needed.

“I think a lot of that was (the) first week,” he said.

"Once you get inside the ropes, it feels natural. Once the first week, doing all the media stuff and getting all that out of the way, it was a huge thing for me, and now it's just a matter of going to play and build a rhythm.”

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Brooks Koepka makes move in Cognizant Classic 2026 final round