Koepka 'felt like c**p' after hitting marshal at US PGA

American Brooks Koepka

Brooks Koepka revealed he would try to contact the marshal he hit in the head with a tee shot at the US PGA Championship, saying the incident left him feeling "like c**p".

The U.S. Open champion saw his tee shot at the par-four 16th hole at Quail Hollow strike a marshal and fortuitously find its way onto the fairway.

Koepka signed a glove for the man and then made bogey, although he would eventually post a fine three-under 68.

"He just got drilled in the head. I felt terrible about it," the American told a news conference afterwards.

"I mean, that's never fun to walk up and see somebody, you just drilled them. I drilled him in the head, which is probably the worst part.

"To be honest with you, I felt like c**p. He was laughing and joking when I was up there, kept telling me, 'You got a good break.' I was like, well, still feel like c**p.

"But yeah, I got his information so I'll probably reach out to him tonight and see how he's doing. I'm sure he's going to have quite a big headache."

.@BKoepka signs a glove for marshal hit by his drive on 16 pic.twitter.com/hu6Zn1G9Tc

— PGA of America (@PGA) August 10, 2017

That bogey left Koepka at even par, but four birdies and just one dropped shot on the front nine – his closing holes – left him just a shot behind clubhouse leader Thorbjorn Olesen.

The speed of the greens at Quail Hollow have already become a talking point and Koepka, who was happy with his round, found it difficult.

"I feel like I played pretty solid," he said. "The first hole, got off to a terrible [start], I missed a four-footer, and that was kind of my day, it kind of felt like. I wasn't exactly comfortable on the greens. I don't know what that was.

"I think it had a lot to do with the speed of the greens, how fast they were.

"With some of the pin locations, these greens are the fastest greens I've ever played. And the thing is, they are only going to get faster and firmer. So it will be really interesting to see how the rest of the week plays.

"I hit the ball really well and drove the ball really well and put the ball in the fairway. That's what you need to do out here."