Sunday surge secures American his first Major
Brooks Koepka has won his first Major. The 27-year old American from West Palm Beach seized the US Open (15-18 June) in great style closing with a 5-under par 67 to clinch the title four strokes ahead of fellow-countryman Brian Harman and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama.
The 2016 Ryder Cup debutant opened his final round at Erin Hills, Wisconsin on Sunday with back-to-back birdies to take the lead at 13-under par with Brian Harman just one shot behind. Koepka continued his assault with another birdie at the 8th hole. Two holes later, at the par 4, 504-yard 10th, he made his only bogey of the day. A timely bogey perhaps in hindsight. A wake-up call for Koepka to keep his cool and dig deep at the links-style Erin Hills golf course.
On the back nine, he produced a stunning run of three consecutive birdies at the 14th, 15th and 16th to get to 16-under par and leave the rest of the field standing. His nearest rivals, Harman and Matsuyama, eventually finished four shots behind on 276.
It was the left-handed player Brian Harman, winner of the Wells Fargo Championship in May, who was the overnight leader in the 117th US Open. The two Americans were battling it out with another home favourite, 28-year old Rickie Fowler dressed in his Sunday orange best, lurking in the shadows.
Koepka admits that he felt more confident last week than he had ever been before.
“I felt like I was striking the ball really well, I was putting the ball in the fairway – which you need to do out here – and then I was putting so well”, he said.
“It’s for all the hours that you put in and things like that. You look back a couple of years ago to be on the Challenge Tour, four guys driving around in a little mini car, four golf bags packed in there, to be the US Open champ is pretty cool.”
Brooks Koepka
He went on: “To go over to Europe and kind of cut your teeth over there and be able to play in different conditions is what you need to do.”
This victory is Koepka’s second on the European Tour after winning the 2014 Turkish Airlines Open. He also came fourth in his second US Open appearance that same season and went on to finish 8th in the Race to Dubai. A few months later he broke through on the PGA Tour when he won the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
And so, after just five years on Tour, Brooks Koepka, has landed his first Major and takes home with him to West Palm Beach a handsome 1,934,270 US dollars. Interestingly, his winning score of 16-under par matches the US Open record set by Rory McIlroy when he won his first Major at the Congressional in 2011. Not only that, Koepka shot 16-under par to win his first event on the European Challenge Tour – the Challenge de Cataluyna in 2012. Don’t you just love coincidences?!!
Many congratulations to US Open Champion Brooks Koepka – long may the Major victories flow!
Wendy Hoad
Nice to know …
WINNING SCORE: Brooks Koepka made 21 birdies, 46 pars and 5 bogeys on his way to victory at Erin Hills. His scores: 67, 70, 68, 67.
BEST BRIT: That honour goes to 26-year old Tommy Fleetwood. After a level par round on Sunday, the Englishman, who was second in the Race to Dubai at the start of the week and 21st in the world rankings, finished a commendable 4th in the US Open.
AMERICAN NIGHTMARE: American Steve Stricker had to go through qualifying to play in the US Open this year. However, with his wife Nicky on the bag, the 50-year old played a great championship finishing on 5-under par which earned him a share of 16th spot.
MASTERS CHAMPION Sergio Garcia came a rather disappointing tie 21st but it was still good enough for a 111,893 US dollar share of the prize-fund for the Spaniard.
CLUBBING: Rickie Fowler played an 8-iron for his tee-shot at the 172-yard 9th.
THE LONGEST HOLE at Erin Hills during the 2017 US Open Championship was the 18th – a mighty 681 yards. Sounds more like a par 6 than a par 5!
JOOST LUITEN? The Dutch star didn’t tee-up at Erin Hills. At 77th, his Official World Golf Ranking was too high for an automatic invitation. He chose not to go through qualifying.
BELGIAN LONG-HITTER Thomas Pieters, did play in the US Open. However, a run of three bogeys on the back nine on day one and a bogey on the 18th on day two put paid to his hopes of victory. He missed the cut but still collected a cheque for 8,954 US dollars for his effort in coming 79th.
PHOTOGRAPH: Brooks Koepka on his way to becoming US Open Champion at Erin Hills.