Brooks Koepka Finds Putting Breakthrough at Cognizant Classic

Former major champion believes he has turned a corner after top-10 finish in Florida

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Brooks Koepka secured his first top-10 finish since rejoining the PGA Tour, tying for 9th place at the Cognizant Classic in Florida. Despite a poor opening round of 74, Koepka was able to climb back into contention by improving his putting over the final three days. The 35-year-old said he finally found some much-needed confidence after making a small adjustment to his putting stroke on Thursday night.

Why it matters

Koepka's return to the PGA Tour after a stint with LIV Golf has been rocky, with missed cuts and poor finishes. This top-10 result at the Cognizant Classic suggests he may be turning a corner and regaining the form that made him a five-time major champion. Improved putting has been the key, which should also benefit his long game going forward.

The details

Koepka opened with a 74 at PGA National but then shot 67-65-69 over the final three rounds to climb into a tie for 9th place. He credited a small adjustment to his putting stroke on Thursday night as the catalyst, saying it allowed him to build rhythm and confidence with the putter. This in turn took pressure off his iron play, as he no longer felt he had to hit every approach shot to tap-in range.

  • Koepka finished tied for 56th at Torrey Pines in his first event back on the PGA Tour in January.
  • He then missed the cut at the Phoenix Open the following week.
  • The Cognizant Classic was held from February 23-26, 2026.

The players

Brooks Koepka

A 35-year-old American professional golfer who has won 5 major championships, including 2 U.S. Opens and 2 PGA Championships.

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What they’re saying

“Yeah, I played really solid the last three days. Didn't quite hit it that great yesterday, but just controlling shots I think a lot better. Putter obviously has gotten better. I haven't looked at the stats, but just that little adjustment Thursday night made a huge difference.”

— Brooks Koepka (yardbarker.com)

“Finally found some confidence. I think that's the one thing that's been lacking. Yeah, it'll carry over for sure.”

— Brooks Koepka (yardbarker.com)

“Honestly, it was just the putter. The putter, it felt like – because I wasn't making any putts, I felt like I had to hit it to tap-in, so it was putting pressure on the iron play, maybe being more aggressive off the tee. So it was kind of backfiring that way.”

— Brooks Koepka (yardbarker.com)

What’s next

Koepka's next tournament will be The Players Championship, which is scheduled to begin next week. His performance at the Cognizant Classic, particularly from Friday onwards, suggests he will be heading to TPC Sawgrass with significant confidence.

The takeaway

This top-10 finish at the Cognizant Classic could be a turning point for Brooks Koepka as he looks to regain his elite form on the PGA Tour. After struggling with his putting early on, Koepka found a small adjustment that unlocked his confidence and allowed him to play more freely. If he can carry that momentum into The Players Championship and beyond, golf fans could see the return of the dominant Koepka that won multiple major titles.