Brooks Koepka’s Hand Was Numb Friday. On Tuesday, He Confirmed His U.S. Open Plans.

Three days ago, Brooks Koepka couldn’t feel two fingers on his right hand. Now he’s insisting he’ll tee it up at Shinnecock Hills.

The five-time major winner withdrew from the RBC Canadian Open over the weekend after a rattling third round in which his grip literally failed him. Saturday’s 72 dropped him from contention, and by Sunday he was out entirely, citing a hand injury that left his ring and pinkie fingers numb to the point where he could no longer hold the club steady. “The club is kind of just — my fingers would come loose,” he told reporters at the time, via ESPN. “It was kind of numb. I don’t know what the deal was.”

Whatever that deal was, it appears to have resolved in a hurry.

On Tuesday, with the U.S. Open just two days from its opening round at the iconic Long Island layout, Koepka made his intentions bluntly clear. “I’m gonna go this week,” he said, offering no elaboration beyond that five-word confirmation.

A Two-Time Champ Returns to a Familiar Stage

Koepka has won this championship twice — in 2017 and 2018 — and has a long history of delivering his best golf on the sport’s toughest stages. Three of his five majors are PGA Championships, but his U.S. Open record is nearly as sterling: five top-10 finishes in nine starts, including those two wins. Shinnecock, where he finished second in 2018 before the USGA’s infamous setup controversy, holds good memories overall for the 36-year-old.

The question, obviously, is whether the hand can hold up under four rounds of pressure. Koepka was in real discomfort during the third round in Toronto. He said he couldn’t grip properly and that the club was slipping on every swing. That is not the kind of thing that typically resolves in 72 hours without treatment or rest, but Koepka has a history of playing through pain and winning when it counts most.

He also has a busy summer ahead. After Shinnecock, the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale looms in July — a chance at Koepka’s third different major title. But first, he has to get through Thursday’s opening round, and he has to prove that two numb fingers won’t be an issue under the glare of a national championship.

What’s at Stake This Week at Shinnecock

J.J. Spaun is the defending champion after capturing his first major at the 2025 U.S. Open. He surrendered the trophy on Monday as part of the pre-tournament ceremony, and he’ll try to join the rare group of players who have successfully defended this title. But the Week 1 storylines in New York have shifted quickly to Koepka’s health and whether his body can cooperate for 72 holes at one of the game’s most punishing venues.

The USGA has not released Thursday’s tee times yet — those are expected later Tuesday — but it’s a safe bet Koepka ends up in one of the marquee groupings. If his hand cooperates, he remains one of the few players in the field who knows exactly how to close a major from the front. If it doesn’t, this week could end quickly.

Either way, he made one thing clear: he’s going to find out.