Koepka’s legacy secured after 2nd straight victory at US Open
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For a guy who has won all of three PGA Tour events, Brooks Koepka has a golf legacy that already is secure.
That’s how it should be for winning back-to-back US Opens.
Koepka became the first man to turn that impressive trick in nearly three decades by handling a Shinnecock Hills course that varied from beastly to benign. His one-stroke victory on Sunday over England’s Tommy Fleetwood even topped the American’s first major victory a year ago at Erin Hills.
“I don’t want to say I didn’t think I could do it, but I knew that it was going to be that much more difficult,” Koepka said after closing with a 2-under 68 and a 1-over 281 total. “And to finally do it, it’s much more gratifying the second time. I can really appreciate how hard it is to win a major, and to win back-to-back is special, and my second major is cool.”
Even better is that he won on two different style courses. Erin Hills had spacious fairways. Shinnecock Hills had tighter landing areas and tougher greens. They look nothing alike. Koepka, however, said he felt they played similar.
“Shinnecock plays incredibly tough, and you knew that going in even par was going to be a really good score,” he said. “And it turned out it was almost impossible to shoot even.”
Not in the final round it wasn’t, one day after the USGA conceded it lost a handle on the golf course. While Koepka’s 68 separated him from a four-way tie to start the final round, there were 14 other subpar rounds — including Fleetwood tying the US Open record with a 63 after he missed an 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole.
The easier conditions on Sunday allowed a bunch of players to challenge: Koepka’s buddy and playing partner Dustin Johnson, who led or shared the lead in each of the first three rounds; Masters champion Patrick Reed; Saturday co-leaders Tony Finau and Daniel Berger; and Fleetwood.
But the prize went to Koepka, whose composure, confidence and competitiveness served him well. All of those traits came together a year ago, and defined his victory this time.
“This one’s a lot sweeter,” he said.
Lots will be written and said about Koepka, 28, when the US Open heads to Pebble Beach in 2019 and he tries to match Willie Anderson (1903-05) as the only golfer to win three in a row. Koepka has played there once, finishing eighth in the PGA Tour event that uses three courses.
First, though, he’ll travel to Carnoustie for the British Open, where he should feel at home. Koepka spent much of his early pro career in Europe before becoming a PGA Tour regular in 2015.
The final major of the year is the PGA Championship at Bellerive in St Louis.
Still, questions about the future for Koepka focused on the US Open, in which Curtis Strange was the last to successfully defend in 1989. Strange, who walked the course with Koepka and Johnson as a broadcaster for Fox Sports, believes Koepka can lengthen his streak.
“He’s proven he can win on a classic” course,” Strange said. “Hell, I came close, and he’d beat me like a yard dog.”
The pressure the third time is even more extreme, said the only person alive who would know.
“For me, it was,” American Strange said. “He looks like water off a duck’s back, both times. I look like I’m wound a little differently. He seems to move right on through life, which is a good thing.”
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