OAKMONT, Pa. — Brooks Koepka, the two-time U.S. Open champion, roared back into major championship form with a gritty 2-under-par 68 in the opening round of the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club on Thursday. The five-time major winner, who has struggled in majors this season, sits just two shots behind leader J.J. Spaun, signaling a potential return of the “Big Game Hunter” at one of golf’s toughest tests.
Koepka’s round was a masterclass in resilience on a brutal Oakmont layout that yielded only 10 under-par scores. Starting on the first hole, he opened with three steady pars before igniting the gallery with a 42-foot eagle putt on the par-5 4th, vaulting to 2-under.
“That putt got me going,” Koepka said post-round. “It’s nice to see something drop early.” He closed the front nine at 2-under 33, missing just one fairway and green, a testament to his precision on a course notorious for its punishing rough and slick greens.
The back nine tested Koepka’s mettle. Bogeys on the 10th and 14th dropped him to even par, but the 35-year-old showed his trademark composure, finishing in style with back-to-back birdies on the 17th and 18th. His closing flourish, including a pinpoint approach on the 18th, drew roars from the Pennsylvania crowd and placed him in a tie for third alongside Si Woo Kim and Sungjae Im, one shot behind Thriston Lawrence’s 67 and two back of Spaun’s bogey-free 66.
Koepka’s performance was a stark contrast to his recent major struggles. After missing the cut at both the Masters and PGA Championship earlier this year — his first back-to-back major missed cuts — he admitted to being in a dark place.
“From April until last week, you didn’t want to be around me,” Koepka said candidly. “It ate at me. I haven’t been happy.” A stern 45-minute scolding from longtime coach Pete Cowen in a bunker on Monday, witnessed by playing partner Justin Thomas, proved to be the wake-up call he needed.
“Pete got into me, and I deserved it,” Koepka added. “I don’t want ‘yes’ people around me. I needed to hear the truth.”
The round was Koepka’s 11th of 68 or better in U.S. Open history, tying him with Phil Mickelson and Louis Oosthuizen for fifth-most all-time, per golf statistician Justin Ray. It also marked his 19th career round in the 60s at the championship, a feat that underscores his affinity for the U.S. Open’s grueling demands.
Oakmont, hosting its record 10th U.S. Open, lived up to its fearsome reputation. While Spaun’s 66 and a handful of red numbers suggested early vulnerability, 16 players shot in the 80s, and stars like Rory McIlroy (74), Scottie Scheffler (73), and defending champion Bryson DeChambeau (73) faltered.
Koepka, however, relished the challenge.
Koepka tees off at 7:18 a.m. ET on Friday from the 10th hole alongside Justin Thomas and Min Woo Lee, carrying 12-1 betting odds, trailing only Jon Rahm (6-1) among the early contenders. With three rounds remaining, Koepka’s history of closing strong in majors — he won the U.S. Open in 2017 and 2018 after under-par opening rounds — makes him a formidable threat.
As he put it, “It’s nice to put a good round together. It’s been a while.”
If Thursday was any indication, Brooks is back, and Oakmont may be his stage for a sixth major triumph.
