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2021 Genesis Invitational
PGA Tour
18-21 February 2021
Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, California
Brooks Koepka will chase his maiden victory at the
PGA Tour’s 2021 Genesis Invitational, set for the Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, California from 18 to 21 February.
The four-time major winner had recently fallen out of the top six automatic qualifying spots for the Ryder Cup after missing three consecutive cuts for the first time in his PGA Tour career, but stormed to an impressive victory at the Phoenix Open earlier this month.
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“There was a period maybe for about two months where I just questioned whether I was ever going to be the same,” said Koepka. “Whether I was even going to be somewhat remotely the same golfer that I ever was.”
Koepka had stem cell treatment on his left knee in 2019, only to re-injure the tendon late that year. He pulled out of the Presidents Cup, and was never healthy in 2020, and although the knee wasn’t torn enough to require surgery, Koepka remained troubled by it until recent times.
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“My knee, no matter how much work and pain I was doing with Derek, my trainer, it just felt like it wasn't progressing,” Koepka said. “But we stuck with it. Those dark places, a lot of tears, questioning yourself, and in dark places mentally. You’ve got to come out of that.”
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At the Genesis Invitational, where Australian Adam Scott is the defending champion, Koepka will aim for another tournament victory. At the 2020 event held at the Riviera Country Club, the 30-year-old finished tied for 43rd after shooting level par 284.
That performance left Koepka 11 shots off the pace of champion Scott, but he is unlikely to be that far off the top of the leaderboard if he can continue to remain healthy and show the kind of determination that saw him triumph in Phoenix.
Genesis Invitational details
Established: 1926
Course: Riviera Country Club
Par: 71
Length: 6695 metres
Tour: PGA Tour
Purse: US$9.3million
Record score: (tournament) 264, Lanny Wadkins, 1985
Current champion: Adam Scott
All time wins: Macdonald Smith & Lloyd Mangrum (4 titles each)
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