Portugal Colonial - Koepka gets Oakmont scolding and leaps into US Open title hunt

The 35-year-old American took his lesson in a bunker at Oakmont and responded by firing a two-under-par 68 to stand two off the lead after Thursday's firt round.

"It's nice to put a good round together. It has been a while," said Koepka. "I've been working hard, just got into some bad habits and bad swing positions. We worked pretty hard last week."

Koepka works with Englishman Cowen on his short game and with coach Jeff Pierce on his putting. Both instructed him last week. Cowen went back at it on Monday in a practice round.

"Pete got into me again on Monday, in the bunker for about 45 minutes. I just sat there, and he scolded me pretty well," Koepka said.

"It's just a matter of executing the feels versus perception for where I've been. It has been so far off, it's on opposite sides, but now it's starting to click.

"Unfortunately, we're about halfway through the season, so that's not ideal, but we're learning."

How intense was Cowen's teaching session?

"JT (Justin Thomas) thought he had to come check on me in the bunker. We were in there for about 45 minutes and he was on the other side of the green... He was like, 'I was worried, your head was down.'

"Yeah, Pete, I'll keep that between us. I wasn't happy with it, but it was something I needed to hear at the right time. It's not the first time he's done it. He's not afraid to."

Koepka said he had not done it since the 2017 US Open at Erin Hills, when Koepka won the title.

"I don't like having 'yes' people around me. I just want somebody to tell me the truth, tell me what's going on, what they see," he said.

Koepka won the 2017 and 2018 US Open titles and the PGA Championship in 2018, 2019 and 2023.

But after five wins in Saudi-backed LIV Golf, Koepka has not won since last August at Greenbrier and not managed a top-10 major finish in two years.

"Still the same person. Just mechanics were off," Koepka said. "Getting on the right track.

"I wasn't consistent enough. When I felt like I cut one, it was drawing. I felt like I blocked one, it would go straight. I just had no sense of reality of where things were. My perception was so far off."

Long practice range sessions last week paid off, Koepka said.

"It's starting to click," he said. "I'm starting to see the ball flight evolve where it's a nice little fade and I don't have the two-way miss going. Very consistent now."

L.Mesquita--PC