Scottie Scheffler does not spend much time chasing people on a golf course. Most weeks, the world No. 1 is the one setting the pace while everyone else scrambles to keep up. That is what made his reaction Thursday at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson stand out. Playing alongside Brooks Koepka and Si Woo Kim at TPC Craig Ranch, Scheffler watched Koepka torch the course with an 8-under 63 and later admitted something fans rarely hear from him.
“Yeah, I felt like I was getting lapped out there for a little bit,” Scheffler said after the round.
Coming from a two-time Masters champion who won this same event last year by eight shots, the comment carried weight. Scheffler has publicly supported Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour since January, calling it good for fans, sponsors, and the game. But this was different. This was not about policy or optics. This was about competition.
And on Thursday, Koepka looked like the version of himself that once dominated major championships.
Scheffler and Koepka’s Mutual Respect Runs Deep
The respect between Scheffler and Koepka has been building for years. The two played together on the 2021 and 2023 Ryder Cup teams and have consistently backed one another publicly. Scheffler was one of the loudest voices supporting Koepka’s inclusion on the 2023 Ryder Cup roster despite his LIV Golf status.
Earlier this year, Koepka returned the praise. “It’s always impressive whenever anybody gets to play with Scottie,” Koepka said in January. “Just being around him and seeing the way he goes about it, you can learn a lot.”
Koepka even admitted that watching Scheffler helped him rediscover his love for golf after a frustrating stretch on LIV Golf.
Thursday’s round showed just how dangerous that renewed confidence can become. Koepka opened with six birdies and an eagle on the par-5 12th while delivering one of his sharpest putting performances in recent memory. His 63 gave him the solo lead after the opening round, one shot ahead of Emiliano Grillo.
Si Woo Kim, playing in the same featured group, posted a 7-under 64. Scheffler finished with a solid 5-under 66, but on a course known for extremely low scoring, it still felt like he was losing ground.
“I feel like sometimes in these tests, once you start getting behind, you can kind of start falling pretty far behind, and it can be difficult to catch up,” Scheffler said. “It was nice to kind of stay in it.”
Koepka Returning to the PGA Tour Has Been Complicated
Koepka’s road back to the PGA Tour has not been simple. He left in 2022 for LIV Golf after reportedly receiving a signing bonus of north of $100 million. But over time, the constant travel and separation from family reportedly began taking a toll.
His game slipped. So did his enjoyment of golf. Eventually, Koepka decided to return to the PGA Tour, even though the Returning Member Program reportedly carried heavy financial consequences. Over the past several months, he has openly discussed trying to rediscover both his rhythm and his happiness on the course.
Two weeks ago at the Myrtle Beach Classic, Koepka hinted things were changing after firing a back-nine 29. He said he finally felt like everything was beginning to click again and that he simply needed to keep playing.
At TPC Craig Ranch, those comments suddenly looked very real. Scheffler acknowledged how intense the scoring environment became within their group as birdies continued to pile up from every direction.
“Brooks played great, and Si Woo played really nicely as well,” Scheffler said.
Koepka’s Fast Starts Usually Mean Trouble for the Field
There are still three rounds remaining, but Koepka’s history suggests fast starts matter when he is in contention.
The last time he opened a tournament with a bogey-free 63 or better came at the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black. Koepka went on to win that major by two shots.
A similar pattern appeared at Oak Hill in 2023. Koepka posted rounds of 72-66-66-67 to finish 9-under and hold off Scheffler, who closed with a final-round 65 but still ended two strokes behind.
When Koepka is healthy and confident, the scorecard usually shows it immediately. That is why Thursday’s performance carried more weight than a typical first-round leaderboard. Koepka did not simply take advantage of soft conditions or an easy setup. He did it against a field that included the world No. 1, on a renovated course intended to limit outrageous scoring, and while using a putter he had only recently put into play.
Scheffler did not need a dramatic reaction afterward. His choice of words already said enough.
For one afternoon at least, Brooks Koepka had the best player in the world feeling like he was trying to keep pace.
