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SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — Brooks Koepka emerged victorious the last time the U.S. Open was held at Shinnecock Hills in 2018, but he’s battling a mysterious health issue as he bids to repeat this week.
Koepka withdrew from the final round of the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday, citing discomfort in his hand. In a series of text messages with Golfweek on Monday night, Koepka said he began experiencing weakness in the pinky and ring fingers of his left hand on Friday night, which flared up again when he began his warm-up on Saturday, making it difficult to grip the golf club.
In Canada on Sunday and in New York on Monday, he underwent scans of the C5 and C6 vertebrae in his neck, which he had herniated in 2021, and of the C6 and C7 vertebrae. Those scans came back all clear. Koepka says his medical team believes there are two potential causes of the issue.
More: U.S. Open hub: Scores, stats, video and more
One is a flare-up of the Ulnar Nerve, which causes sensory and movement issues in the arm or hand, including finger weakness, numbness, pain or tingling. The other possibility is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, caused by pressure on blood vessels or nerves in the area between the neck and shoulder. That too can cause the fingers to feel numb.
Koepka did not go to the course at Shinnecock Hills on Monday but says he will be there on Tuesday, though he remains uncertain just what preparation will be possible.
“What I do depends on how I’m feeling,” he wrote to Golfweek.
One thing the five-time major winner is not considering is withdrawing. When asked if that was a possibility, he replied: “I’m gonna go this week.”
Eamon Lynch is a columnist for Golfweek and a contributor to Golf Channel.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Brooks Koepka battling hand injury before U.S. Open
Continue reading...
Koepka withdrew from the final round of the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday, citing discomfort in his hand. In a series of text messages with Golfweek on Monday night, Koepka said he began experiencing weakness in the pinky and ring fingers of his left hand on Friday night, which flared up again when he began his warm-up on Saturday, making it difficult to grip the golf club.
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In Canada on Sunday and in New York on Monday, he underwent scans of the C5 and C6 vertebrae in his neck, which he had herniated in 2021, and of the C6 and C7 vertebrae. Those scans came back all clear. Koepka says his medical team believes there are two potential causes of the issue.
More: U.S. Open hub: Scores, stats, video and more
One is a flare-up of the Ulnar Nerve, which causes sensory and movement issues in the arm or hand, including finger weakness, numbness, pain or tingling. The other possibility is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, caused by pressure on blood vessels or nerves in the area between the neck and shoulder. That too can cause the fingers to feel numb.
Koepka did not go to the course at Shinnecock Hills on Monday but says he will be there on Tuesday, though he remains uncertain just what preparation will be possible.
“What I do depends on how I’m feeling,” he wrote to Golfweek.
One thing the five-time major winner is not considering is withdrawing. When asked if that was a possibility, he replied: “I’m gonna go this week.”
Eamon Lynch is a columnist for Golfweek and a contributor to Golf Channel.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Brooks Koepka battling hand injury before U.S. Open
Continue reading...
