Koepka makes solid start to title defence

TOKYO: 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, Japan on 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.