Brooks Koepka feels hopeful about ‘tingly’ nerve problem in his hand as the US Open approaches

Brooks Koepka Optimistic About Health Ahead of U.S. Open

Brooks Koepka expressed a sense of positivity regarding his health after pulling out of last weekend’s RBC Canadian Open prior to the final round.

The five-time major champion practiced for nine holes at Sinek Hills on Tuesday in preparation for this week’s U.S. Open. He mentioned that his hand movement was “getting better and better” while managing a recurrence of ulnar nerve issues, noting he had observed “a lot of improvement” since the previous day.

This issue affects his little and ring fingers, which he described as having a “tingling sensation, kind of like hitting a funny bone.”

“If I didn’t have that, I don’t think I would have gone out and played,” Koepka said after his practice session on Tuesday.

He reached out to his orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Neil El-Atrache, and had a neck scan in New York on Monday. While the results came back negative, this was encouraging enough for him to cancel the neurological tests he had scheduled in Manhattan.

Additionally, he received hand treatment from physical therapist Mark Wall.

Koepka mentioned that he could move his hands adequately and was “able to do anything,” though he still felt sensations in his pinky and ring fingers. “When the transition comes down, it feels like it’s going to come off,” he explained, adding, “it was very weak,” but he was thrilled to grab a golf club again.

Though he admitted that his grip strength wasn’t at 100%, he felt it was “good enough” and he wasn’t experiencing any pain.

He remarked, “I think it should be a little bit more painful. You’ll understand why it hurts here and not there. It’s like hitting a funny bone all the time.”

This week marks Koepka’s return to Sinek Hills for the first time since winning the U.S. Open there in 2018, which he described as a “refreshing feeling” with many “good memories.”