Brooks Koepka shot a final round of 67 for a nine under par 72-hole total of 271 to win the 105th PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club, New York.
Starting the day with a one-shot lead, the 33 year-old opened up with a par and consecutive birdies on holes 2, 3 and 4.
He then bogeyed six where he hit his drive into the penalty area and another at seven followed to be out in one under par 34.
On the back nine further birdies came on holes 10, 12, 14 and 16 and a bogey – par finish on 17 – 18 saw him sign for a three under par round and a two-shot victory from playing partner Victor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler over the demanding Oak Hill layout measuring 7,394 yards and playing to a strict par of 70. Just 11 players in the field broke par for their 72-holes.
Collects his fifth Major
This is Koepka’s third PGA Championship victory and fifth major, following his wins in the 2017 and 2018 US Open and the 2018 and 2019 PGA Championship. He is just the 20th player in the history of the game of golf to win five or more Majors.
Koepka’s statistics for this week showed his dominance with his golf. In Driving Accuracy he was sixth, Driving Distance at 318.9 yards in fifth, Greens in Regulation at 61.11% in tied 29th, Scrambling tied fourth, Putts per Greens in Regulation second and, perhaps, most importantly than everything else, first in Number of Putts, 26 per round.
Collects $3.15 million
Koepka takes home not just the Wanamaker Trophy but also the $3.15 million share from an increased total purse of $17.5 million.
On completing his round the number 44 in the Official World Golf Ranking at the start of the week said, ‘This is incredible - I look at where we were two years ago. This is wild, it is just the coolest thing. To be amongst the names who have won five Majors or more is not something I had even dreamed about as a kid. To win three Majors in the state of New York means a lot and it is now my second home.’
Koepka’s golf coach 72 year-old Peter Cowen, with Golf Academies in Dubai at Emirates Golf Club and Dubai Creek, told GULF NEWS from the locker room after the round, ‘It is great to see Brooks back at the top of the podium in a Major. To come back from his recent injuries is hugely impressive. Not many people realise how serious and potentially career ending his injuries could have been. He showed what he can do at The Masters a month or so again. I am so proud of him as well as this being my 14th Major as a coach and my fifth with Brooks. Tomorrow (Monday) I am going to Washington DC for the LIV Golf event this coming week and I will be home in Rotherham on Wednesday.’
Rory McIlroy shot his third consecutive 69, to go along with his opening 71 to finish tied seventh, seven back of the champion.
Dubai based Adrian Meronk continued his impressive 2023 form to shoot a six birdie final round of 68 to go along with his first three rounds of 75. 69 and 74 to finish in tied 40th, moving up 18 places on day four. Meronk will next play in the KLM Open on the DP World Tour starting on Thursday.
The next golfing Major is the 2023 US Open which will be held at The LA Country Club, Los Angeles 15th – 18th June, 2023.
