America’s Brooks Koepka became the seventh consecutive first-time major champion when running away with the US Open title at Erin Hills in Wisconsin.
The 27 year old from Florida shot a final round 67 to win by four shots, and join a cast list of players that goes back to Jason Day’s victory at the 2015 US PGA Championship, and includes Danny Willett, Dustin Johnson, Henrik Stenson, Jimmy Walker and Sergio García, who have all managed to get off the mark in one of golf’s top events over the last two years.
Despite having just two tour titles to his name – one in America and one in Europe – Koepka has long been touted as a star in the making. Always possessed with the ability to hit the ball a long w
ay, he managed to marry his power with precision around the tricky Wisconsin course which was generous in some places and brutally punishing in others.
Looking calm and collected throughout the week, Koepka kept his nerve on the world’s biggest stage, piecing together a brilliant final round that included six birdies and just one bogey.
A birdie putt from 40 feet at the 8th played a key part in reaching the turn in 33, while a run of three birdies from the 14th saw Koepka arrive at the final hole with an unassailable lead. The 16-under-par total was a record-equalling US Open tally, matching Rory McIlroy’s achievement in 2011.
Brian Harman and Hideki Matsuyama shared second place, while Tommy Fleetwood, flying the flag for England and playing alongside Koepka, finished a fine fourth.
The foundation for Koepka’s victory can be traced back five years to a bold career choice. Rather than playing through the lower grade tours in the United States, he opted to move outside his comfort zone and to Europe. PGA Tour status was earned as he progressed through the Challenge and European Tours, impressing seasoned observers on the way.
Of the players who fell short, perhaps Fleetwood has the most cause to be upbeat, in what was his first real shot at a major glory. Speaking after his closing 72, he said: “I’ve never contended for a major before, so I was really pleased with the way I handled the weekend. I played great on Saturday, but felt that my game wasn’t quite there today, but still got it round in level par. I scrapped a little bit for it, but I felt comfortable playing in those late groups on Saturday and Sunday, and it will hopefully stand me in god stead next time I get in that position.”
That time may come next month, when Fleetwood returns to his home town, Southport, for the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
Of the other contenders, Rickie Fowler’s challenge stumbled on the back nine, with a closing level-par 72 seeing him bag yet another top-five major finish, while Harman, who had hitherto dropped only two shots in the whole tournament, saw his putting form desert him, posting bogeys at the 12th, 13th and the last.
Matsuyama made the biggest charge up the leaderboard on Sunday, shooting 66 to move from just inside the top 20 into a share of second. His attempt to become Japan’s first ever major champion came unstuck at the tricky 15th, when he pulled his tee shot into dense rough, from where he could only chip out sideways. The bogey that ensued proved damaging, although he had the consolation of a rise to No.2 in the world rankings.
Justin Thomas, who shot a record-equalling 63 in the third round to set up his tilt at the title, almost predictably found it hard to keep up the momentum, and three dropped shots in the first five holes on Sunday saw his challenge fizzle out early, with a closing 75 leaving him tied ninth.
Mention must also go to Paul Casey, who was tied for the lead at the halfway point, after rounds of 66 and 71. His challenge faded with weekend rounds of 75 and 74, which saw him finish 26th. Fleetwood aside, Oxfordshire’s Eddie Pepperell, who came through UK qualifying, fared best of the English contingent, firing a closing 71 to finish on five under par and bag a share of 16th place. The $140,000 prize money will go a long way to securing his card for next season.
Given the list of illustrious names who did not make the cut – Day, Johnson, McIroy, Rose and Stenson all failed to make the weekend – special credit is due to Scottie Scheffler. The 20 year old from Dallas finished as the leading amateur on the highly respectable 72-hole aggregate of minus one. As Scheffler continues his career, confidence clearly will not be a problem. “I was trying to compete and see if I could win the golf tournament,” he said. “I think it would be pretty cool winning the US Open as an amateur, and that was my goal coming in.”
As an amateur, Scheffler was unable to win any prize money, not something that can be said for the winner, who took home a record-breaking $2.1million – the biggest ever payout in major history.