For the fifth time in his career — and third time at the PGA Championship — Brooks Koepka has won a major championship.
Koepka, who shot 3-under par Sunday to fend off a challenge from Viktor Hovland, became the first LIV Golf player to win a major title since defecting to the Saudi-backed tour.
The outcome was all but confirmed on No. 15, when — for the second consecutive day — a player in contention blasted a shot from a fairway bunker into the grassy lip above the sand trap, forcing a drop. While it was Corey Conners on Saturday, on Sunday’s final round it was Hovland, who was just one stroke back of Koepka when his shot disappeared into the sod. Hovland ended up with a double bogey, removing any drama from this year’s second major tournament.
Koepka entered Sunday with a one-stroke lead over Hovland and Conners after he birdied three of the final seven holes of the third round Saturday — a day that challenged players with persistent rain and soggy conditions.
Hovland finished in a tie for second place with Scottie Scheffler, whose 5-under helped him to a 7-under for the tournament. Scheffler will no doubt be wondering what could have been had he not shot a 3-over 73 on Saturday.
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After rain pelted the Oak Hill course all of Saturday, conditions were the best they have been all tournament Sunday, with greens being soft and receptive and sunny skies with a light breeze.
Koepka raced out to a remarkable start Sunday, deploying his short irons with precision. He birdied three consecutive holes — Nos. 2, 3 and 4 — after his approach shots at each fell within 10 feet to set up gettable birdie putts. That helped him open a three-stroke lead over Hovland, his playing partner in the final pairing of the championship round, through four holes.
Hovland, however, would gain a stroke on Koepka on the par-3 No. 5, after Koepka narrowly missed a 15-foot birdie putt that opened the way for Hovland to sink his birdie try.
At the par-4 No. 6, Kopeka’s driver off the tee sailed well right of the fairway, landing in thick grass over the bridge and water hazard near the out of bounds area. His second shot, however, required power and precision to land it on the green and Koepka did just that, though his attempt at a long par save came up short. Koepka bogeyed the hole and Hovland, whose tee shot was in far better position, parred to cut into the lead.
Hovland settled before and after the turn, parring five consecutive holes from No. 8 through No. 12. Hovland did birdie Nos. 13 and 14, but Koepka stayed the course, birdying Nos. 10, 12 and 14 — though he bogeyed No. 11.
The major is Koepka’s first since winning the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage’s Black Course.
