PGA Championship: Brooks Koepka learns Major lesson

ROCHESTER, May 22

Brooks Koepka claimed a PGA Championship hat-trick and a landmark Major win for LIV Golf on Sunday but the day also belonged to Michael Block, a 46-year-old club professional, who capped a golfing fairytale with a hole-in-one.

I just learned I knew what I did in Augusta. I spent the whole night thinking about it. I knew what I did and I knew I was never going to come out and think that way again. Brooks Koepka, five-time major winner

Koepka, saying he had learned his lessons from last month’s Masters when he led by two going into the final round before a collapse opened the door for Jon Rahm to grab the Green Jacket, began the day with a one-shot advantage and would not let go.

In a cool, clinical display, Koepka returned a 3-under 67 for a winning total of 9-under 271 and a two-shot victory over world No. 2 Scottie Scheffler and Norway’s Viktor Hovland.

The win gives Koepka a fifth Major and third PGA Championship to go with back-to-back wins in 2018 and 2019.

With 33-year-old Koepka clinging to a one-shot lead, the turning point came at the par four 16th where the big-hitting American had a birdie and Hovland a double-bogey after trouble in a fairway bunker, opening up a four-shot cushion.

Scheffler began the day four shots back but by the back nine had put himself back in the thick of the chase.

In the end a terrible third round had put him in too big a hole that even the joint best round of the day, a 5-under 65, could not dig him out of. — Reuters