Brooks Koepka Plans to Play in 2026 U.S. Open, Details Hand Injury amid Uncertain Diagnosis

Brooks Koepka plans to play in this week's U.S. Open despite an issue with his left hand that forced him to withdraw from the Canadian Open prior to the final round last week.

Koepka revealed that news to Eamon Lynch of Golfweek, who relayed information about the five-time major winner's status.

"In a series of text messages with Golfweek on Monday night, Koepka said he began experiencing weakness in the pinky and ring fingers of his left hand on Friday night, which flared up again when he began his warm-up on Saturday, making it difficult to grip the golf club."

This year's U.S. Open will be at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York. Koepka won this major the last time it was held there in 2018.

Koepka made clear he's playing. When Lynch asked if withdrawing was a consideration, he replied: "I'm gonna go this week."

He did not go to Shinnecock Hills on Monday but planned to do so on Tuesday. "What I do depends on how I'm feeling," Koepka told Lynch.

Koepka is a three-time PGA Championship winner (2018, 2019, 2023) and two-time U.S Open victor (2017, 2018) who has earned nine PGA Tour victories overall. He was a long-time member of the PGA Tour before leaving for LIV Golf in June 2022. Koepka stayed with the league until Dec. 2025 and now plays on the PGA Tour again.

The 36-year-old has played in 12 tournaments this year, making the top 20 in half of them. His best finish was a tie for ninth at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, which ran from Feb. 26-March 1.

Koepka started hot at the Canadian Open, finishing the first round tied for first at six-under. He followed that up with a two-under 68 to enter the weekend well in contention at eight-under.

However, Koepka went two-over on Saturday, certainly affected by the hand issue. Lynch relayed information from Koepka about what he's been dealing with and what his medical team thinks is happening.

"In Canada on Sunday and in New York on Monday, he underwent scans of the C5 and C6 vertebrae in his neck, which he had herniated in 2021, and of the C6 and C7 vertebrae. Those scans came back all clear. Koepka says his medical team believes there are two potential causes of the issue.

"One is a flare-up of the Ulnar Nerve, which causes sensory and movement issues in the arm or hand, including finger weakness, numbness, pain or tingling. The other possibility is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, caused by pressure on blood vessels or nerves in the area between the neck and shoulder. That too can cause the fingers to feel numb."

Thankfully, Koepka is giving it a go this weekend. He tees off at 7:30 a.m. ET on Thursday with Chris Gotterup and Cam Young.