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Golf in UAE World

Koepka warms up for PGA defence with LIV Singapore victory

34-year-old becomes first player to win four titles on Saudi-backed breakaway circuit



Smash GC's Brooks Koepka celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the LIV Golf Singapore.
Image Credit: Reuters

Singapore: Brooks Koepka fired a warning ahead of his PGA Championship defence in two weeks’ time by carding a three-under par 68 Sunday to win LIV Singapore by two strokes from Australian pair Cam Smith and Marc Leishman.

The 34-year-old American, a five-time major winner, finished at 15-under par to become the first player to win four individual titles on the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit which is in its second full season.

“I feel good. It’s a lot better than I did last week,” said Koepka, who has hit form at just the right time as he heads to Valhalla to defend the major he won a year ago at Oak Hill.

“It’s all starting to come around. I’ve put in a lot of work and I like the way things are trending,” added Koepka

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“I just need to go back next week and make sure everything continues, do the right stuff and go from there.”

Koepka started the third and final round with a three-shot advantage and did not look like relinquishing it after birdies at the fourth and fifth.

A bogey-five on nine proved to be a temporary blip as birdies on 10 and 15 sealed the victory, despite a charge from Smith, who fired a seven-under 64 to finish on 13-under, and Leishman, who carded a 66.

“I just played very consistently and happy with the way I played all week,” said Koepka.

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“I made a couple of clutch putts today and the ball-striking was solid. I didn’t really think I made too many mistakes. And that’s a great feeling when it kind of feels easy.”

Smith and Leishman’s final-round heroics helped take Ripper GC to a second consecutive team title, a week after they triumphed in a playoff in Adelaide.

The all-Australian team, which also features Matt Jones and Lucas Herbert, won with a 32-under-par aggregate.

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