Brooks Koepka has pulled out of next week’s Players Championship with a knee injury.
This time it is his right knee.
“Brooks put pressure on his right knee and plans to consult further with physicians this week to get an assessment and a broader view,” Koepka manager Blake Smith said in a statement. “We will be able to provide updates and more information as we learn more. ”
Koepka has been battling injuries to his left knee for much of the past two years, including receiving multiple gas-to-gas treatments. He said the pain reached an all-time high last summer at Memorial, and that he had to pull out of the U.S. Open last September. He fell from No. 1 to No. 12 in the world rankings before breaking through for his first win since 2019 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational last month at the Phoenix Open.
“It’s been a wild ride for the last year and a half and very frustrating,” said Koepka after his win at TPC Scottsdale. “I’ve had times where I didn’t know if I was going to be the same, if I could even return. … I went through it mentally. I think that’s probably the hardest part, where you never know if you’re going to be the same competitor you were. You go through some dark places, and it’s not a fun place. “
Koepka then said he was scheduled to play almost every week before the Masters, skipping this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Valero Texas Open the week before Augusta National.
“I feel good, so why not play? ”Said Koepka.
Koepka was slated to compete in a special group alongside Patrick Reed and Jon Rahm for each of the first two rounds of TPC Sawgrass. Anirban Lahiri will be replaced if an independent player does not receive the Arnold Palmer Invitational.