GOLF.AI • Feb 1, 2026

Koepka's Post-Cut Poa Annua Problem

The narrative surrounding Brooks Koepka's return to the PGA Tour has taken a sharp turn. After the pre-cut storyline focused on family, grit, and making the weekend on the number, his third round at the Farmers Insurance Open provided a harsh reality check on the technical challenges that remain.

While his ball-striking was often spectacular, highlighted by a daring recovery shot played perfectly off a concrete cart path, his performance on the greens was catastrophic. The poa annua putting surfaces at Torrey Pines exposed a critical weakness, completely derailing his round. The most shocking moments came on short putts: a missed 3-foot par attempt on the 11th hole that ballooned into a double bogey, and a missed 3-foot birdie putt on his final hole that resulted in a bogey.

Koepka's frustration was palpable. In a moment of rare vulnerability from a player known for his swagger, he admitted to having "zero confidence" on the greens. "I've never felt comfortable on poa," he confessed, chalking up the disastrous 1-over 73 to a bad day on a surface that has historically troubled him. The stark contrast between his elite shot-making and his putting woes reveals the true difficulty of returning to peak form and the unforgiving nature of the PGA Tour.