Brooks Koepka is having up to seven hours of rehab per day in order to play inthe Masters .- The American underwent surgery on a dislocated kneecap on March 16.
- "I feel I can win. I'll play. I'll be all right," he said.
American golf star Brooks Koepka is having up to seven hours of rehab per day in order to play in the Masters after having surgery on his knee.
Koepka withdrew from last month's Players Championship after dislocating his right knee cap and sustaining ligament damage during a fall.
The 30-year-old underwent surgery on March 16 and had been expected to miss the Masters, which starts on April 8.
However, on Sunday, he was spotted playing a four-hole practice round at Augusta, before playing nine holes on Monday.
"Seven days out of surgery, I was hitting balls. I don't think anybody expected this. I didn't know," Koepka told ESPN after his session on Sunday.
"The goal was to play Augusta and so we were going to see if we could play. We were hopeful we were going to be here. A couple of bad days or anything like that it could set you back quite a while.
"It's been seven-plus hours every day in rehab, between getting my neck straightened away and the knee. I'm going to be living on the [rehab] table, making sure I can get comfortable and so it feels good."
Koepka, a four-time major winner, has never won the Masters, however does have an excellent record at Augusta.
He finished seventh in November, when compatriot Dustin Johnson scooped his first ever title, and tied for second behind Tiger Woods in 2019.
Despite his injury problems, Koepka hopes this year he can break his duck and strip Johnson of his title.
"If I knew I was going to finish second, I wouldn't have shown up," he said. "I feel I can win. I'll play. I'll be all right."