After being away from the PGA Tour, Brooks Koepka‘s return performance at Torrey Pines drew in viewers expecting some intense drama. But the five-time major champion’s comeback has been a muted show so far. He has fared poorly at the Farmers Insurance Open in the past, making 1 cut out of 4 appearances.

Going by Thursday’s performance, a repeat of history seemed to be the storyline for Koepka’s comeback, but he had something to say about that on Friday. After ending his R1 with a 1-over 73, it was not one of his best performances. He struggled with his putts with multiple lip-outs contributing to bogeys and fewer conversions inside 10 feet amid slower greens.

When Friday came, the ex-LIV golfer found himself on the North Course. Early birdies built a 2-under cushion matching the projected cut, but mid-front bogeys dropped him back. A birdie on No. 14 steadied the ship. Then an eagle on the par-5 17th changed everything.

A bogey on the par-4 2nd threatened to undo the work. Birdies on Nos. 5 and 7 answered back. The 4-under 68 sealed a 3-under tournament total at T58, just making the cut.

Harris English matched him stroke-for-stroke. The defending champion fired 73-68 to land at 3-under. Xander Schauffele wasn’t as fortunate. The world No. 2 missed the cut entirely. A recent survey by EssentiallyGolf showed that 60% of readers predicted Koepka would survive, and it held true.

Koepka opened with a 1-over 73 on the South Course before Friday’s rescue act. Now, Koepka trails leader Justin Rose by 14 shots.

His Round 2 is the storyline of the day.

Top Stories

PGA Tour Champ Disqualified for Using Banned Item at Farmers Insurance Open

Patrick Reed Pays a Heavy Price for Exiting LIV Golf as Worrying Update Surfaces

Hideki Matsuyama Lashes Out at PGA Tour as Brooks Koepka Returns Without Serving Any Suspension

Bryson DeChambeau Visits PGA of America as LIV Golf’s Future Looks Bleak

‘LIV Deserves It’: Greg Norman Under Fire as LIV Golf’s Collapse Feels Inevitable

Inside Brooks Koepka’s Round 2 stats

Statistically, Koepka’s Round 2 performance was a mixed bag. He hit 57.14% of fairways (8 of 14) and ranked T43 in that category. His average drive was 306.10 yards off the tee, placing him 68th overall. The longest drive he hit was 310 yards.

Where he truly excelled was his iron play. Brooks Koepka hit an impressive 88.89% of greens in regulation (16 of 18), which placed him T1 for the field. On the sand, too, he was perfect, making 100% of the saves (1 of 1).

His putter, however, told a different story. Koepka averaged 1.88 putts per GIR, which ranked him 111th. This number clearly explains why his scoring didn’t match his ball striking. Overall, his Round 2 card featured one eagle (T2), three birdies (T81), 13 pars (T17), and just one bogey (T7).

In the end, Brooks Koepka’s second-round performance at Torrey Pines told a familiar story—flashes of elite ball-striking mixed with missed opportunities. However, the fans would be hoping for better delivery in the coming rounds.