Brooks Koepka closed with three rounds in the 60s, claiming his third career PGA Championship — and first major title in four years.
The Florida State graduate had seven birdies and four bogeys on Sunday, but he pulled away on the back nine with birdies on 10, 12, 14 and 16 (all par 4s). Koepka shot 9-under for the tournament (72-66-66-67).
He took a two-shot win over Viktor Hovland in the event at Pittsford, NY
Koepka had 18 birdies for the four-day tournament. He has now won three Wanamaker Tophies, short of only legends like Jack Nicklaus and Walter Hagen (five) as well as Tiger Woods (four).
Lately Koepka has been out of the spotlight, battling injuries and playing on the LIV Golf tour. But Koepka delivered with one of the best weekends of his career.
“This is incredible,” Keopka said in his post-round interview with CBS. “This is wild. I look back at where we were two years ago and everything that’s gone on, I’m just so happy right now that I’m at a loss for words. This is just the coolest thing.”
Koepka played at FSU from 2009-12. He was the ACC player of the year in 2012, ACC co-player of the year in 2010 and league’s rookie of the year in 2009.
Florida State men’s golf now owns nine major wins by its alumni, with Koepka leading the way with five, followed by two from Hubert Green, one from Jeff Sluman and one from Paul Azinger. Of the program’s nine major wins, six have come at the PGA Championship.
FSU sports information contributed