RECAP: Brooks Koepka Defends U.S. Open Title, Wins At Shinnecock Hills
- Updated: June 17, 2018
Brooks Koepka defended his title winning the 118th U.S. Open at famed Shinnecock Hills on Sunday with a +1 281 total. He is the first back-to-back champion since Curtis Strange pulled it off in 1988-89.
Starting the final round tied for the lead, Koepka got off to a hot start birdieing the 2nd, 3rd & 5th holes on a fairly receptive golf course compared to what the players faced on Saturday.
After going out in -2 33, Koepka made birdie on 10 then somehow saved bogey on 11 which could’ve easily escalated to a double or triple from a precarious spot left of the green. He then saved par in miraculous fashion on 12 & 14, then added another birdie on the par-5 16th.
A par on 17 gave him a two-shot cushion heading into 18 where he tapped in for a final round -2 68 and a one-shot victory over Englishman Tommy Fleetwood …. who had a helluva day shooting 63 and tying the lowest score in U.S. Open history.
Who else? The @Lexus Top Performance of the Day goes to back-to-back #USOpen champion, @BKoepka! pic.twitter.com/1Lt6lAppnp
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2018
Leaderboard
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Related: 2018 U.S. Open Purse Breakdown
Quick Reaction
Brooks Koepka is built to win the U.S. Open. Long, strong, chiseled, athletic, determined, focused … the 28-year-old reminds us of an American Ivan Drago from Rocky IV. He’s quiet and reserved, but once he gets to the first tee and shakes his competitor’s hand he’s probably thinking “I must break you.”
Coming in as the defending champion, he said during his press conference on Wednesday “he was there to win” and he’s never heard anybody say “man, I’m glad I finished second.”
Brooksy delivered. He was +6 or +7 at one point early during the second round but got it rolling going -6 on his last 11 holes on Friday. He grinded through Saturday’s shitshow scrapping out a well-deserved +2 72 which put him in the penultimate group Sunday with his good buddy Dustin Johnson.
He was a machine during the final round finding fairways and holing clutch par (and bogey…) putts down the stretch when it mattered most.
The man has now won back-to-back U.S. Opens on two very different golf courses, a feat not even Bobby Jones, nor Jack, nor Tiger has accomplished.
Makes you wonder, will Brooks Koepka ever lose a U.S. Open again?!
The USGA Will Never Get It Right
It wouldn’t be the U.S. Open without some sort of USGA controversy. This year it was the course set up. You’d think after 118 of these things they’d figure it out by now. Nope! Saturday was a shitshow. Sunday was a different golf course. We take a closer look at it here.
When Phil Goes Down, He Goes Down In Flames
A remarkable sequence on Hole 13, where Phil Mickelson was assessed a two-stroke penalty for hitting a moving ball and ended up making a 10 on the hole. pic.twitter.com/kx6ieYiOGR
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2018
Shinnecock got away from the USGA on Saturday, and then Phil did this. SB Nation’s Brendan Porath does an awesome job taking you through the events that unfolded here.
FOX’s Coverage Got Weird
During Friday’s coverage on FOX, a hot mic picked up a raunchy sex conversation between two bros which the network apologized for later. Congrats on the sex? If you haven’t heard it, you should (WARNING: audio is NSFW).
Survey Says
I’d rather have DJ’s ability to
— Two Inches Short (@TwoInchesShort) June 16, 2018
Whose ego is bigger?
— Two Inches Short (@TwoInchesShort) June 17, 2018
Tweets That Made The Cut
USGA getting the grounds crew ready for tomo pic.twitter.com/WGTbL7ES9m
— Jon Sherman (@practicalgolf) June 16, 2018
The USGA failed to water Faxon’s suit, and now they’ve completely lost it. pic.twitter.com/kBSLQxWkWr
— Brian Phillips (@BPhillips_SB) June 17, 2018
BAE: come over
PHIL: can’t, I’ve gotta putt out
BAE: my parents aren’t home
PHIL: pic.twitter.com/pPa6uPZeJE
— Will Bardwell (@willbardwell) June 16, 2018
(Shameless plugs)
YO PAULINA ….. CALL ME pic.twitter.com/XyIN3ofwZS
— Two Inches Short (@TwoInchesShort) June 14, 2018
“The USGA’s got the greens right where they want them” pic.twitter.com/95CdbVD4TF
— Two Inches Short (@TwoInchesShort) June 13, 2018
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