The Golf Blog: Brooks Koepka wins 3d major at PGA Championship, laying claim to best golfer on the planet
"It's just gone."
Brooks Koepka with another impressive drive on 18. #PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/gpPDwqf7Th
— PGA of America (@PGA) August 12, 2018
The Golf Blog says: After capturing a 2-shot lead after 54 holes, Brooks Koepka responded to a reporter’s question about the “star-studded” leaderboard at the PGA Championship. Koepka confidently answered that if he played as he should on Sunday, then he should win the golf tournament. The “star-studded” leaderboard was nary a thought in Koepka’s answer–or mind.
Sure enough, Koepka was right. On Sunday, he plodded his way through a methodical 66, which included bogeys on holes 4 and 5 that opened the door ever so slightly to his nearest competitors, Adam Scott and Tiger Woods. Scott played beautifully until the last few holes and, at one point, tied Koepka for the lead at -14. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods made a valiant run, closing the deficit to 1-shot back of the leaders. Tiger shot an incredible 64 on Sunday, which was all the more remarkable given that Tiger found the fairway only once or twice off the tee and was playing from the woods (no pun intended) on many holes. What did Hank Haney say about “the big miss”?
But it was almost as if Koepka was toying with the field. A guy whose muscles bulge from a much-too-small golf shirt put on the afterburners right when he needed it. Koepka birdied 15 and 16 to get to -16 and a 2-shot lead over Scott, and then cruised into the clubhouse. Koepka is one of the longest drivers on tour, but he’s also pretty controlled off the tee (at least when he’s firing on all cylinders), putting the ball in the fairway with his cut fade. It’s such a weapon. Long-driving accuracy is what separates Koepka from many of his peers who contend at majors, but who are either more frequently wayward off the off (e.g., Rory McIlroy) or don’t have the same kind of distance (e.g., Jordan Spieth). After rattling off 3 majors in a year and a half, Koepka looks every bit of the best golfer on the planet. He’s built to win.
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