Brooks Koepka (33-USA) stood atop the PGA Championship, the second major of the season on the U.S. Professional Golf (PGA) Tour. It is the first time a player playing on the LIV Golf Invitational Series (LIV), sponsored by Saudi Arabian Capital, has won a major. With his ninth career PGA Tour victory, five of which have come in majors, Koepka has once again proven himself to be a ‘major hunter’.스포츠토토
Koepka shot a 3-under 67 with seven birdies and four bogeys in the final four rounds of the tournament at Oak Hill Country Club (par 70) in Rochester, New York, USA, on Sunday. With a final total of 9-under-par 271, Koepka won the WarnerMaker Trophy by two strokes over runners-up Viktor Hovland (NOR) and Scotty Scheffler (USA) at 7-under-par 273. He took home $3.15 million in prize money.
It’s been two years and three months since Koepka, who moved to LIV last June, won a PGA Tour event since the Phoenix Open in February 2021. With his fifth career major title, Koepka has now finished on top three times at the PGA Championship, including 2018 and 2019. Koepka has won the other major, the U.S. Open, twice (2017, 2018).
Koepka became the first LIV player to win a major. This year’s PGA Championship is the fourth major since the launch of LIV; last year’s U.S. Open, The Open, and this year’s Masters were all won by PGA Tour players. Koepka tied for second at the Masters in April, the first major of the season.
LIV has been at odds with the PGA Tour since before its launch last June. The PGA Tour has been at odds with LIV since its launch in June of last year, as the company lured players away with hefty contracts and prize money. Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson (USA), and Cameron Smith (AUS) were among the players who switched from the PGA Tour to LIV. While the PGA Tour banned players who switched to LIV from playing on tour, the four majors, including the PGA Championship, opened their doors to LIV players.
Koepka, who has been plagued by nagging knee injuries, hasn’t played on tour since surgery in early 2021. Koepka made the move shortly after LIV launched. The LIV has less than half the number of events per season as the PGA Tour. It also plays three 54-hole rounds, as opposed to four 72-hole rounds on the PGA Tour. Koepka started his resurgence with two wins on the LIV.
“It feels good to win five majors,” Koepka said. When I was younger, I didn’t realize I could win so many,” said Koepka. “When I look back at where I was two years ago (on the PGA Tour), I’m happy to be here (on LIV). I think my PGA Championship victory is a big step forward for LIV Golf and helps us.”
In the latest Men’s Golf World Rankings, released today, Koepka is ranked No. 13, up 31 spots from No. 44. Schauffler, who finished tied for second in the tournament, regained the top spot in the world rankings for the first time in about a month. LIV’s DeChambeau and Smith tied for fourth (3-under par 277) and tied for ninth (1-under par 279), respectively. Yon Ram (Spain), who finished the tournament in a tie for 50th place (7-over par 287), dropped one spot to No. 2 in the world rankings. Lee Kyung-hoon (KOR) was the only South Korean to make the cut, finishing in a tie for 29th place (5-over par 285).