Brooks Koepka rallied from an opening 3-over 74 on Thursday to put together a solid three-day stretch of golf in his hometown event, walking away with from the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches with his best result since returning to the PGA TOUR.

Koepka, whose last top-10 finish on TOUR in a stroke-play tournament that wasn't a major came at the 2022 WM Phoenix Open (he, of course, won the PGA Championship in 2023), fired a final-round 65 at PGA National and was inside the top 10 as the final groups started on the back nine.

Koepka’s 6-under effort Sunday was his best round of the week, and he was tied for the best overall Strokes Gained: Total effort of anyone in the field for the final day. He started hot, making birdies on Nos. 3 and 4 before going 5 under over a six-hole stretch after making the turn.

The nine-time TOUR winner made an important change to his putting on Thursday night, and he said that made a “huge difference” for the rest of his week.

“I played really solid the last three days. Didn't quite hit it that great (on Saturday), but just controlling shots, I think a lot better. Putter obviously has gotten better,” Koepka said. “Found some confidence. I think that's the one thing that's been lacking.”

It’s a small sample size, but since his return to the TOUR, there’s been nothing to really write home about: He finished tied for 56th at the Farmers Insurance Open and a missed cut at the WM Phoenix Open, a place that’s been a happy hunting ground for Koepka in his career.

This week, Koepka was quick to admit the confidence – or lack thereof – really stemmed from his putting. He was 74th (essentially last amongst those who made the cut) in Strokes Gained: Putting at the Farmers Insurance Open, losing more than seven shots to the field. At his early exit in Phoenix, he lost more than three shots to the field on the greens.

“Because I wasn't making any putts, I felt like I had to hit it to tap-in (range), so it was putting pressure on the iron play (and) maybe being more aggressive off the tee. It was kind of backfiring that way,” Koepka said.

“But to be able to make a few of those putts, you can kind of build a rhythm and build momentum. It was a huge thing. I think Thursday night was a bit of a breakthrough.”

While Koepka is not playing next week in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a Signature Event, he will make his return to THE PLAYERS Championship in two weeks. He’s not planning to get to TPC Sawgrass any earlier than normal but is set to arrive around midday Monday of tournament week. It will be his first time back at THE PLAYERS since 2022. Koepka’s best result at the event came in 2018 when he finished tied for 11th after an impressive final-round 63.

The last time Koepka had a spin around TPC Sawgrass, it was, he said, “Blowing a hoolie,” en route to him shooting a second-round 81.

“I remember going to 17 and debating hitting a 5-iron," Koepka said. “Hopefully it plays a little different this year.”

With Koepka’s return to the PGA TOUR firmly underway, he said once he’s gotten inside the ropes after his first week back, everything started to feel “natural” once again.

“Once the first week, doing all the media stuff and getting all that out of the way, it was a huge thing for me,” Koepka said, “and now it's just a matter of going to play and build a rhythm.”

And perhaps a run of good results will have started this week at the Cognizant Classic.