Brooks Koepka‘s transition to the PGA Tour after being reinstated in early 2026 has been average at best. And it was all because of one challenge, with many asking him about it. The same question followed him at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson, but this time, Koepka gave a piece of his mind.

“Well, I don’t bring it up, you guys do. I just try to fix the problem. Yeah, while I was back — I have a little warehouse at home. There’s a putting studio in there. I was in there from — I drop my son off at school in the morning and then was in that putting studio until I had to pick him up from school. So I was in there for quite a while working on some different things, trying some different putters,” the 9x PGA Tour winner replied when asked if his putting woes are affecting him mentally.

The PGA Tour pro’s putting has become a headline issue this season.

At the Farmers Insurance Open 2026, the first event he played on the PGA Tour after his return, Koepka lost close to six strokes on the greens. In fact, he was 55 feet from the cup to make an eagle on the par-5 ninth on Saturday. This shows how much he has been struggling with his putter.

When asked how hopeful he was about improving that at the upcoming WM Phoenix Open, he replied, “It can’t get worse, right?”

Struggles persisted at the WM Phoenix Open, Torrey Pines, and beyond.

At the recently concluded PGA Championship 2026, he finished T55 after rounds of 69-72-68-74. And he blamed it on his putting.

“Putter is absolutely horrendous. Ball striking is absolutely phenomenal,” he said after the first round of the second major of the season.

In the initial round, he was 4th in the field for SG: Approach to Green. However, regarding SG: Putting, he was 138th out of 156 golfers. He improved in the remaining three rounds to finish 63rd in SG: Putting across the event.

Currently, he is focusing on the basics rather than making significant changes. Being lined up, having a good grip, and ensuring the putter’s angle is correct are some basics he wants to build on.

But besides that, he has been changing putters this season to cope with the challenge. For instance, Koepka switched from a blade to a mallet putter ahead of the WM Phoenix Open 2026. The move alone shows how significant the problem has been throughout the season.

He repeated the action this time.

“Switched putters again this week for something I feel like released on its own, something I’ve been trying to — been fighting a little bit, and I feel like it definitely releases a little bit,” he added. “Got a Scotty Cameron Fastback 1.5, I believe it is.”

The Scotty Cameron Fastback 1.5 is a compact mid-mallet putter. It blends mallet stability with more blade-like toe flow. As Koepka said, he wanted something that releases on its own, and Fastback 1.5 is ideal for that. The putter gives more stability than a blade without feeling overly face-balanced.

Koepka now has a good chance to learn from one of the best and make some changes.

Brooks Koepka’s honest confession about pairing with Scottie Scheffler

Scottie Scheffler will partner with Koepka for the first round alongside Si Woo Kim for The CJ Cup Byron Nelson. As the World No. 1 and a native Texan, he and his group will probably see a lot of fans following them. When asked about his pairing with the 4x major winner, Koepka said that he is excited.

“It will be fun. It will be exciting, and I guess a good measuring stick to figure out where I’m at,” he said.

Scheffler is known for his elite performance under pressure. In fact, the World No. 1’s putting is not his defining strength, and he has improved recently. Koepka can watch him and even ask him for suggestions on how to build his confidence back to eliminate putting struggles.

Playing alongside Scheffler could give Koepka the answers he is searching for on the greens. And after months of frustration, putter switches, and blunt admissions, The CJ Cup Byron Nelson may offer a clearer picture of whether his “back to basics” approach is working.