Not since 1989 has a golfer retained the US Open title but Brooks Koepka equalled that feat when he won the title at the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York.
It had been a tough four rounds for the world’s best golfers. Usually we get lots of low under-par scores winning the top tournaments but that wasn’t the case here. Not one player was able to play 72 holes in par and world number four Koepke won with a final score of one over par. That’s compared to the six under par shot by Reteif Goosen when winning the last US Open held on the course in 2004 and the 16 under par that Koepka won the title with in 2017.
His defence of the US Open title didn’t get off to a great start as he shot 75 in the first round trailing the leader by six shots. He got himself back in contention shooting a 66 in his second round but was still five adrift of World Number One Dustin Johnson. A third-round of 72 and a poor 77 by Johnson saw Koepka enter the last round one of the four joint leaders along with Johnson, Daniel Berger and Tony Finau.
A champion and his 🏆
Congrats to Brooks Koepka on another performance to remember! pic.twitter.com/EtyRJf9K7r
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 17, 2018
The Battle to Save Par
Course officials had to admit that they “went too far” with the layout as only three players broke par on Saturday. It was a lot easier on Sunday and that was reflected by the scores that were set. Koepka’s final round got off to a great start as he birdied three of his first five holes to reach even par and the outright lead. He had some problems on the par-three 11th as he needed a 12-foot putt to escape with his par.
The battle to save par was a major feature of his inward nine with more problems encountered at the 12th and 14th. On the 16th he hit his approach to within four feet of the hole and got a birdie to open up a two-shot lead. He bogeyed the last but held on for a round of 68 to win the US Open for the second year in a row.
Fleetwood Nearly Makes US Open History
The main opposition had come from England’s Tommy Fleetwood who didn’t look to be in contention after a 78 in the third round that had left him six shots off the lead. He bettered that score by 15 shots as he went around the course in 63 on Sunday ending just one shot behind the winner and would have forced a play-off but for missing an eight-foot putt on the 18th. His 63 is the joint lowest score in the history of the US Open but wasn’t quite enough to win him his first Major.
Koepka, 28, is only the seventh golfer to win consecutive US Open titles. Only Willie Anderson has won the title three years in a row and that was between 1903 and 1905. It’s the first time since 2013 that the tournament has been won with an over par score, on that occasion Justin Rose won on a one over-par score for his four rounds.
A Man for the Majors
The American is known for hitting the ball long off the tee and being aggressive with his approach shots. He had to be a lot more conservative this week but it paid off with his second-straight US Open title. He’s only ever won three PGA tour events, the other being the Phoenix Open three years ago. Koepka (Brooks) revels in the Major tournaments though and last year also finished tied for sixth at The British Open and 11th at the 2017 Masters with two top ten finishes in the PGA Championship
Speaking after his triumph, Koepke said “This is incredible. I don’t think I could have dreamed of going back-to-back. It’s truly special and I am honoured. I always felt like I had a chance. I was never out of it. I just needed to keep grinding. I knew the conditions would ease up a bit and I took advantage of it.”
