After failing by three shots to advance out of the second stage of qualifying school in Texas, Brooks Koepka was left with no status on any tour.
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“After becoming the first player to successfully defend the U.S. Open since Curtis Strange in 1988-89, Koepka will jump from ninth to fourth in the world rankings”. Open double since Jordan Spieth accomplished the feat in 2015. Koepka, however, said he felt they played similar.
That’s likely to change.
His record should get anyone’s attention. “We’ve all been asking for a real U.S. Open again”. The exception was the Masters two years ago, when he tied for 21st. Finally, a two-way tie for fourth would have been worth $516,551. And then he went 3-1 in his Ryder Cup debut at Hazeltine. Outside of Koepka and Finau, the only other player inside the top 50 to move up or down more than three spots was Jason Dufner, who went from 53rd to 48th with a T-25 finish.
“I knew if you hit the fairway and hit the green you were going to have some good looks”. “. You have got to just kind of let things roll off your back”. If you screw up, you’re gone. He’s not as reliant on stats as me and he can read a course and the conditions much better than I can. Open win on Sunday at Shinnecock Hills in the rear view, golf fans opened up this week looking ahead to The Open Championship next month at Carnoustie.
The USGA doesn’t like to talk about scores, but that’s the identity of this major.
Koepka captured his second major Sunday. The South African won at Shinnecock in 2004, then led by three shots at Pinehurst the next year.
And the world’s No. 12 player knows that could come back to haunt him. He kept it together.
Since Koepka had already finished atop the leaderboard at the U.S. Open before, Fox announcer Joe Buck didn’t make the same mistake as he did in 2017, when he initially confused Sims with Koepka’s ex-girlfriend Becky Edwards. Off went Fleetwood, who set the grass on fire with his 63 that included six 3s on his back nine. He remains confident that Johnson’s next major win is close. He was back in the lead when everyone around him couldn’t hang on.
The 4-stroke lead enjoyed by Dustin Johnson after two rounds disappeared on his front nine and the rest of the day turned into a survival contest. He picked up a combined 7 tour wins in that time, earning himself the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award on the European Tour in 2014. “That’s incredible”, Koepka said. Woods and Mickelson are among 19 players who played in the last U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.
Fleetwood had threatened to come from nowhere to claim his first major when he posted a brilliant 63 while Koepka still had 11 treacherous holes to negotiate.
Koepka doesn’t really think about his legacy. Gold medal draped around his neck and trophy beside him, Koepka spent the end of his victory press conference lauding his friend.
“So I’ll spend a little time with (son) Frankie and (wife) Clare”, he said with a wide smile.
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This is a developing story; check back for more updates.
