Brooks Koepka won the biggest prize of his career earlier this month when he landed the US Open at Erin Hills, his first Major Championship.
The American did so in style on the back nine in the final round of the tournament, where he broke away from his opponents at the top end of the leaderboard with three birdies on the last five holes.
Erin Hills was meant to provide the world’s best players with a tough test in Wisconsin and it did so as three of the top six in the official world rankings missed the cut and had to watch the weekend’s action from home, an unusual spot for them in the major tournaments.
Koepka drove the ball better than anyone in the US Open, which meant he avoided the long grass either side of the fairways. Once on the greens, the American took his chances, while on the final day there were no wobbles as the man who was looking for his maiden major success, looked as though he had done it before.
It has been quite a rise for Koepka over the last five years. After graduating from Florida State University, he travelled to Europe to feature on the Challenge Tour. Within 12 months of playing the tour, he had recorded four tournament victories. That helped him gain a card on the European Tour where his big breakthrough came in the 2014 Turkish Airlines Open. A round of 65 on the final day helped him win the tournament by one stroke ahead of England’s Ian Poulter.
Koepka earned his first PGA Tour card during the 2014/15 season. He did not have to wait long for his opening success since returning to the United States as he won the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open. That victory elevated him inside the top 20 of the world rankings.
Royal Birkdale the next test for Koepka
The immediate focus for Koepka following his Erin Hills success will be the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale next month. He is 28/1 with Betway Sports, betting odds as of 25th June, 2017, to do the Open double, which has only ever been achieved six times in the last 100 years. Royal Birkdale should suit the American as, like all links courses, the driving of the player will be scrutinised.
Koepka has made the cut twice in his three appearances in an Open Championship. His best finish came in 2015 when he ended the weekend in a tie for 10th. He bettered his score with each round at St Andrews in an impressive performance on the Old Course in the event, which was won by Zach Johnson following a playoff.
FedEx Cup the Aim for the End of the Season
The victory in the US Open has helped Koepka break into the top ten in the world rankings. He is the third youngest player on the list, therefore he will feel he can push towards the number one spot in the next couple of years.
The 25 year old is currently fifth in the FedEx Cup standings, with 1,534 points to his name. He is on course to qualify for the end-of-season playoffs and should make the Tour Championship, the event won by Rory McIlroy in 2016. Kopeka is only 736 points off the leader, Dustin Johnson, so a victory in the final event on the PGA Tour calendar could see him scoop the FedEx Cup bonus too.
Kopeka made his debut in the US Ryder Cup team last year, where they were victorious over Europe 17-11 in what was their first success in the tournament in eight years. The rookie partnered Brandt Snedeker in the afternoon fourballs on day one, and the American pair defeated Martin Kaymer and Danny Willett 5&4. That partnership worked well again on day two, as they combined to defeat Henrik Stenson and Matthew Fitzpatrick 3&2 in the morning foursomes. There was a defeat for Kopeka in the afternoon of the second day, as he played alongside Johnson in a 3&1 loss against McIlroy and Thomas Pieters. However, he ended the tournament in style with a dominant victory over Willett in Sunday’s singles.
The future is clearly bright for Koepka, and he will want to prove when he lines up in the Open at Royal Birkdale, and the US PGA Champion at Quail Hollow, that his win at Erin Hills was no fluke.