Brooks Koepka shot his second consecutive six-under 65 to grab the 36-hole lead at 12 under at LIV Golf Orlando.
Koepka has 16 professional wins in eight different countries, but he’s never won an elite event in his home state of Florida.
That could change Sunday at Orange County National.
Koepka will take a three-shot lead over Sebastián Muñoz, the first-round leader who followed his record-tying 62 with an even-par 71.
Three players – Laurie Canter, Mito Pereira and Patrick Reed – are at eight under.
South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel is on six under after a second-round 65 for a share of ninth, with countrymen Dean Burmester and Branden Grace a further shot behind. Louis Oosthuizen is on two under.
Koepka, who grew up in the West Palm Beach area, played collegiately at Florida State, and currently lives in South Florida, wasn’t sure of the last time he won a golf tournament in the state.
“Probably a minor league golf event I remember playing in like 2012, 2013,” he said.
His family is attending LIV Golf Orlando this week, cheering for both Brooks and his younger brother Chase, who also plays for Smash GC. It could be a big celebration if Brooks and his team can claim both trophies on Sunday.
“They’ve got to be loving it, right?” Koepka said of his family. “I’ll speak for me, it’s pretty cool to have my brother, playing alongside him, being able to go do practice rounds, playing an event with him, seeing all the behind-the-scenes stuff that you guys might not see all the time and be able to spend more time with him, more QT. I think that’s been a big thing. It’s been pretty dope.”
Koepka will also be seeking his second LIV Golf title, having won last year in a playoff against Peter Uihlein in the LIV Golf Invitational Jeddah.
Including the 2022 Invitational Series, the first nine regular-season events in LIV Golf’s young history have been won by nine different players, so Koepka is in a position to be the first individual to celebrate a second time atop the podium.
“It’s kind of tough to have multiple wins in nine events,” Koepka said. “If you do, you’re doing something right.”
Muñoz was one of 18 players in the 48-player field who did not break par Saturday. He realises how difficult it is to back up a low round with another one, especially in the windy conditions offered by the Crooked Cat course. Despite the even-par score, he remains in contention in just his third LIV Golf start.
“I felt like my ball-striking was the same as yesterday,” Muñoz said. “I might have hit fewer fairways. Putts didn’t go in, and that’s a nine-shot difference. Pretty crazy.”
Canter is making his third start as a reserve player filling in for Martin Kaymer, who is close to returning from off-season wrist surgery.
“I kind of look at it like if this is the last LIV event I ever play, then it’s been awesome,” Canter said. “I haven’t tried to put too much pressure on myself in terms of got to take the opportunity because golf doesn’t really work like that. Well, not for me anyway.”
– Edited report from LIV Golf website
