Koepka Pleased With First-Round Display

American Brooks Koepka was pleased to come through the first round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship with a round of 67.

The three-time major champion was one of the first players out on the course and he took full advantage of the calmer conditions.

Koepka made a fast start as he picked up three shots in four holes but he could not follow that form on his back nine.

He ended the day five shots behind first-round leader Shane Lowry but the 28-year-old was pleased with his display in just his second appearance at the tournament.

“I remember it being pretty tight, tough golf course, and it kind of reminds me of a major championship,” he told Sky Sports. “Like I’ve said all week, it’s very demanding, and you need to be able to put the ball in the right positions if you want to score.

“The wind is barely blowing, perfect weather, and the golf course is in great shape. These fairways are quite tight, if you hit it in the rough who knows what’s going to happen? The rough is getting a little juicy, especially in the morning when it’s a little wet.

“It was a very solid round. I felt like I played well, struck it well, made those kind of key par putts coming down on the back nine. The front nine wasn’t the best, it was a little sloppy, but I’ll just clean it up for tomorrow.”