"He is averaging at least two shots a round worse which is very substantial for any player, let alone one with the ability that he has."
Wednesday 29 July 2020 09:27, UK
Brooks Koepka heads into back-to-back title defences over the next two weeks, with questions being raised about the four-time major champion's poor run of form in recent months.
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Koepka returns to the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational looking to replicate last year's three-shot victory, before the opening major of 2020 sees him chasing a historic three-peat at the PGA Championship.
The 30-year-old has battled form and fitness issues during a disrupted season, taking three months off after undergoing knee surgery in October and only managing one top-10 in his 10 worldwide appearances since his return to action.
Koepka arrives at the World Golf Championship event off the back of two missed cuts in his last three starts, including at the 3M Open last week, with Sky Sports' Andrew Coltart surprised by the American's noticeable drop in performances this season.
"The great thing is that Koepka doesn't lay any excuses out there," Coltart told the Sky Sports Golf podcast. "He's not moaning about the surgery in his knee and he's not talking about any pain that he has, he's just saying that the golf isn't good enough.
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"He's right, the golf isn't good enough and he's a long way away from the Brooks Koepka of last year. He is averaging at least two shots a round worse which is very substantial for any player, let alone one with the ability that he has.
"He loves it around this golf course so it's a tremendous opportunity for us to see where he is with his golf game. He absolutely loves it, as does Dustin Johnson who is also struggling massively.
"We're seeing two superb players really going through a tricky period in their career and it's slightly uncomfortable to watch, because we're so use to their great play.
"I thought with Koepka last week [at the 3M Open] that there were signs in his second round, where he started to find some more fairways and greens, but right now this man is way off his target of level of play."
Coltart joined Inci Mehmet and regular host Josh Antmann on this week's podcast, where they looked back at Michael Thompson's impressive victory at the 3M Open and the European Tour's return to action at the Betfred British Masters.
There's an update from the Rose Ladies Series, with Mehmet impressing in the most recent event, while the panel give their verdict on a controversial disqualification at a junior golf tournament.
As well as looking at the World Golf Champion event at TPC Southwind, the trio offer their predictions for this week's Hero Open and Barracuda Championship, plus review the sport's other big talking points.
Download and listen to the latest Sky Sports Golf podcast and don't forget to subscribe via iTunes!
The Vodcast version is out on Wednesday on Sky Sports On Demand, with the show also on Sky Sports Golf this Wednesday at 7pm and 10pm and on Thursday from 7.30am.
Watch the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday with Featured Groups from 5pm live via the red button on Sky Sports Golf.
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