Former LIV Golf star Chase Koepka was delighted but surprised to be in contention at International Series India presented by DLF, his latest important step on the road to recovery following a lengthy 15-month break from the game through injury.
Koepka shot a level-par second round 72 to sit two under, four shots back from clubhouse leader Joaquin Niemann of Torque GC, on his second tournament in two weeks following shoulder surgery and a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
The 30-year-old is the younger brother of five-time major champion Brooks, and both previously played together on the LIV Golf League on the Smash GC team.
Chase had not played a tournament since International Series Singapore in October 2023, and admitted he was “rusty” on his return last week when he missed the cut at the season opener on the Asian Tour, the Smart Infinity Philippine Open.
His performance this week is a real positive, considering the extended spell of physio and rehab that got him back onto the range after the injury and additional nerve damage he was dealing with.
He said: “I had to start over completely. There wasn’t much to go off of. I’m just thankful to be back out here. There was a period when I wasn’t even thinking about golf—I just wanted to feel better. I mean, I would have loved to, but I was in too much pain. I was sitting in rehab every day doing small exercises. I literally had to learn how to squeeze my hand and pick something up again after surgery.
“Maybe four or five weeks ago, I played my home course for the first time in a long time and shot around 80. That was a little surprising. The last five or six weeks, where I’ve actually been able to practice, have been tough.”
Koepka was full of praise for big brother Brooks, his former Smash GC captain, and the rest of his family for their support, encouragement and sensible approach to his return.
Koepka explained that his extended break was positively encouraged by his older brother, with the five-time winner on the LIV Golf League urging his younger sibling to “do it right” by taking his time and pushing himself in his physical rehabilitation.
He said: “Luckily, I had the time to recover. You hear about athletes rushing back from injuries and regretting it. I was fortunate enough to take my time and make sure I was fully healthy before returning.
“Even when I was cleared to start hitting golf balls again, I didn’t hit a full shot until the second week of November. I was only hitting some short wedge shots. I really didn’t take a full swing until I saw my coach in mid-November. When I saw him again in December, we decided 'I might not be tournament-ready, but let’s go'."
Koepka’s best-ever finish on The International Series a T11 in Morocco back in 2022, and he can’t wait to be competing properly in the 10 elevated events across the Asian Tour season. He said: ”My goal is to play full-time out here.
“Overall, I like where I’m at - I can’t expect too much after so much time off. I was really using these first two weeks of the season to see where my game is at—just getting back into the grind.
“You can hit balls on the range and have an idea of where your game is, but until you get out and play real tournament golf, where you’re tested, you don’t really know what’s good and what just seemed okay in practice.
“My family and my fiancée were really supportive, pushing me to get healthy enough to return to the game. I was in so much pain that there was a lot of negativity. But I always wanted to try and come back—I just wanted to get healthy. I’m just thankful to be back out here.”
The International Series is the most prized pathway in golf. It consists of 10 elite tournaments sanctioned by the Asian Tour and offers the year-long Rankings leader promotion to the LIV Golf League
