At Oak Hill in New York, Brooks Koepka defeated Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler to win the US PGA Championship for the third time.
The 33-year-old Koepka fired a three-under 67 to finish on nine under par and win his fifth major, two strokes ahead of Scheffler and Hovland. Hovland recorded a two-under 68 while Scheffler, who reclaimed the world number one spot, shot a 65 to reach seven under. Hovland suffered a double bogey on the 16th. Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland finished equal seventh on two under after carding a 69.
A hole-in-one at the 151-yard par-three 15th, played by South California club professional Michael Block, provided another amazing moment on the East Course. The 46-year-old was one of 20 club pros competing in the competition, but he was the only one to advance, and his easygoing conduct charmed spectators all week.
They cheered again after the ace, but Block wasn’t aware of it until he asked McIlroy, who was playing with him, “Rory, did it go in?” before the two of them embraced. Koepka has played in and won a major title in the state of New York three times in the last five years.
“This is amazing,” Koepka exclaimed. “I remember the case two years ago. This is the best thing ever, and I am simply so pleased right now. I don’t know how many men have won five times, but to be among those sets of names is just wonderful, and to be honest, I’m not even sure I dreamed of it as a child,” he added.
As a quintuple major champion, he joins other golf legends Seve Ballesteros, Peter Thomson, Byron Nelson, John Henry Taylor, and James Braid.
It’s even more amazing considering it happened just two years after Koepka underwent major knee surgery and after he transitioned to the LIV Golf setup supported by Saudi Arabia.
Koepka received the Wanamaker Trophy and a prize check for $3.15 million (£2.53 million). He now joins Tiger Woods (four), Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, Walter Hagen, and Jack Nicklaus (five) as the only other players to have won the Championship three times or more.
