Koepka makes solid start

MIYAZAKI, Japan: Defending Dunlop Phoenix Tournament champion Brooks Koepka quickly stamped his authority on the challengers to his title with a six-under-par 65 to tie South Korean Lee Sang-hee for the first-round lead in Miyazaki Thursday.
The long-hitting US Open champion overpowered the Phoenix Country Club course in a round blemished only by a bogey at his final hole, where the American’s 12-foot par putt failed to drop.
Lee, a winner at the Maekyung Open in South Korea in May, joined Koepka at the top of the Japan Golf Tour event leaderboard with a bogey-free performance.They headed Angelo Que of the Philippines by one stroke, with world number four Hideki Matsuyama, the 2014 champion, among a group two behind.
Koepka and Matsuyama were able to stake their claim for the title by taking advantage of ideal conditions, with calm weather and receptive greens allowing for attacking golf.