"Ball's not going anywhere” – Brooks Koepka ‘glad’ Masters officials suspended play due to rain
Brooks Koepka was leading the Masters 2023 on Saturday when play was suspended due to heavy rainfall. Day 3 had a similar experience to Day 2, which was also halted twice due to poor weather conditions. Despite the constant breakup in play, leader Koepka was ‘glad’ the officials suspended play.
The LIV golfer admitted that he was happy that play was called on Saturday afternoon due to the brutal weather at Augusta National. Having played a couple of rounds in cold conditions and heavy rain, Koepka noted that the weather on Saturday was worse. Stating that playing had become “super difficult” as the “balls were not going anywhere,” the 32-year-old said that the officials’ call to stop play was “spot on".
Speaking about the conditions at the Masters to the media on Day 3, Brooks Koepka said, as quoted by Golf Monthly:
"It's obviously super difficult. Ball's not going anywhere. You've got rain to deal with, and it's freezing cold. It doesn't make it easy. You've got to make some pressure putts. You know it was going to be a difficult day. You've just got to grind through it and try to salvage something."
Saturday was testing. It required grit and determination. But, the real test is tomorrow, when the final round begins and the final chapter of the 2023 Masters is written. #themasters https://t.co/6jX5NzZ7lu
Brooks Koepka lauds Masters officials decision to stop play
Brooks Koepka was visibly upset with the weather at Augusta. Despite leading comfortably ahead of Jon Rahm and Sam Bennett, the four-time Major winner didn’t look like he wanted to play on an essentially flooded pitch. The golfer went on to state that his bunker shot on the seventh and final hole of the day skidded a little due to water.
He said:
"That 7th green was soaked. It was very tough. I thought I hit a good bunker shot, and it looked like it just skidded on the water. So I'm glad we stopped. I think it was spot on. Maybe I couldn't have hit that bunker shot on 7, but at the end of the day, it's fine. I'm okay with it."
It is pertinent to note that Koepka managed to double his lead on the sixth hole of round three. The golfer, who started two clear of Rahm, raced ahead to go four ahead (13-under) of the Spaniard by the time play was suspended. Meanwhile, US amateur champion Sam Bennett, who is the next best contender to the LIV star sits in third at six-under.
Patrick Cantlay, Matt Fitzpatrick, Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland all follow the top-three on the leaderboard.