Brooks Koepka takes long road to Shriners Open

Brooks Koepka hasn’t been one to embrace a golf journey that provides little opposition, that physical or metaphorical track allowing one to move forward in the most uncomplicated of ways.

In other words, he never chose the cart path of least resistance.

“You have to be a certain type of person,” Koepka said. “You need a certain type of mentality. Not everybody can do it. It’s pretty clear that it’s tough to do.”

The PGA Tour has for some time now leaned on its next generation of players, a way in this Tiger-Woods-might-have-really-been-scared-of-the-Safeway-Open era to continue growing interest and creating buzz as the sport’s primary promotional focus.

Jordan Spieth. Jason Day. Rory McIlroy. Rickie Fowler.

Fearsome and fearless.

Koepka has firmly positioned himself on such a list of young players, a 26-year-old from West Palm Beach, Florida, whose goal of winning major championships is far more sensible than most who dream of such glory.

He might also one day prove to be a first-time American winner of a major with the most passport stamps.

Koepka shot a bogey-free, 9-under-par 62 on Thursday in first-round play of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin, one of several to take advantage of pristine morning conditions on a day when an 11 under by Rod Pampling led the field.

It’s a new low round for Koepka on the PGA Tour, beating the 63 he posted at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions this year. He made two huge par saves at 6 and 15 on Thursday, including one on the former following his approach hitting a tree.

“Obviously, it was a terrible shot coming in, but I was able to make a nice little 20-foot (putt) for par,” said Koepka, who began his round on the back nine. “It was one of those momentum things that helped me finish the round. When you have someone shooting 11 under, you can’t make any bogeys.”

You might remember him as one of the players celebrating and spraying champagne at Hazeltine National last month, a rookie on the U.S. Ryder Cup team who helped earn America the prestigious trophy for the first time in eight years.

How he ultimately made the U.S. team and now being ranked inside the world’s top 25 players is a study of obvious risk and ultimate reward, one in which Koepka responded to being bounced in the second stage of tour qualifying in 2012 by making travel plans to far, far away lands.

While other young rising American stars such as Spieth received sponsor exemptions and was a PGA Tour winner and Presidents Cup member by age 20, Koepka began his professional career on the European Challenge Tour and eventually the European Tour.

He bombed tee shots down fairways from Kazakhstan to France to Spain and beyond, a far different world than the one he knew when playing collegiately at Florida State.

His first career win: Challenge de Catalunya, on the northeastern extremity of the Iberian Peninsula.

There have been a smattering of high school basketball stars to choose time in Europe over attending college, opting for life abroad instead of a classroom before becoming eligible for the NBA Draft. Koepka just wanted as many rounds as he could muster, which he was guaranteed by playing overseas instead of sitting at home and hoping for exemptions or possibly gaining entrance into events via Monday qualifiers.

“(Playing in Europe) taught me how to really play golf in all different conditions and with all the traveling,” Koepka said. “It got me used to professional golf. I don’t really know of any other Americans who went (that route).

“Something like (winning the Ryder Cup) builds confidence. Playing under that kind of pressure and winning makes it seem easy, and it’s not easy. But to be around the best players in the world and take down (the Europeans) the way we did … it builds confidence.”

His first PGA Tour event came in 2014, and months later he won the Waste Management Phoenix Open. He tied for fourth at the U.S. Open that year, for 10th at the Open Championship and fifth at the PGA in 2015 and for fourth at the PGA this year.

Not a shock: Koepka has forfeited his European Tour membership, citing an inability to travel between the U.S. and Europe.

That, and it appears the journey he chose has returned him to the place he intended on being the entire time.

Which is home.

“I just want to be me,” Koepka said. “I don’t want to be anyone else. I’m here to win major championships and golf tournaments. I’m not here to do anything else. That was the goal starting last year. Now, I just need to put in the work and make sure I’m ready.”

His is a resolve toughened by far, far away lands.

And by refusing to travel along the cart path of least resistance.

Contact Ed Graney at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be a heard on “Seat and Ed” on Fox Sports 1340 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on Twitter.