Wisconsin: Brooks Koepka produced a back-nine birdie blitz to win the US Open golf tournament, becoming the seventh consecutive first-time winner of a Major with a record-equalling victory at the Erin Hills course here by four strokes, Sunday.
The 27-year-old from Florida fired a five-under-par final round 67 to finish on 16 under for the tournament following a tense duel with compatriot Brian Harman that was settled on the home stretch at the course.
Koepka’s 16-under-par total equalled the record for the lowest winning under par total at a US Open set by Rory McIlroy at the 2011 championships.
Third round leader Brian Harman, who had led by one-shot at the start of the round, finished second on 12 under after an even-par 72. He tied with Japanese World No. 4 Hideki Matsuyama who shot a superb six-under-par 66. England’s Tommy Fleetwood was alone in fourth place on 11 under after a level-par final round of 72.
Harman and Koepka spent much of the round locked at the top of the leaderboard. But the turning point in a gripping war of nerves came just after the turn when Harman struggled through back-to-back bogeys on the 12th and 13th.
World No. 2 Koepka then uncorked a brilliant trio of birdies on the 14th, 15th and 16th holes to surge into a four-shot lead and virtually assure himself of the title.
Koepka’s win extended a remarkable run of victories by players who had never previously won a Major. Since Jason Day lifted the 2015 PGA Championship, every Major championship has been won by a first-timer. Koepka had only won one title on the PGA Tour since turning professional in 2012.
With strong winds buffeting the 7,721-yard layout at Erin Hills earlier in the day, Mother Nature had appeared poised to bite back after three days of benign conditions which led to a feast of low-scoring.
But with the gusts gradually weakening over the course of the afternoon, Koepka and Harman picked up where they left Saturday, leaving the likes of Rickie Fowler, Fleetwood and Matsuyama behind.
“Obviously the wind picked up and I felt like that played right into my hand,” said Koepka, who considers himself a good ball-striker and good putter. “And I felt confident all week, so to feel as confident as I did on a Sunday of a Major and coming down the stretch was pretty neat.”
One of golf’s biggest hitters, the 27-year-old also demonstrated a killer instinct along with a deft touch with the putter, rolling in a monster 41-foot birdie putt at the eighth. “It hasn’t sunk in, obviously, yet, and probably won’t for a few days,” said Koepka.