Brooks Koepka produced a back-nine birdie blitz to win the US Open here yesterday, becoming the seventh consecutive first-time victor of a major with a record-equalling four-shot victory at Erin Hills.
Koepka, 27, carded an exceptional final-round 67 to finish four strokes clear of 54-hole leader Brian Harman (72) and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama (66).
It was an accomplishment that wasn't lost on golf's newest major champion, even if his father and other family members weren't in attendance at Erin Hills on Sunday and missed one of Koepka's appearances at a major for the first time.
Rickie Fowler said it was "fun" to play Erin Hills, which is an unusual descriptor for the U.S. Open.
The 28-year-old ended tied for fifth with fellow Americans Bill Haas and Xander Schauffele and was satisfied with a seventh top-10 finish at a major.
"It looks as though the weather conditions are going to be a lot more challenging today at Erin Hills", said Tom Kite, who shot an even-par 72 in howling winds in the final round at Pebble Beach to win the 1992 U.S. Open. China's Li Haotong, who on Friday became the first player from mainland China to make the cut at a major, bombed out of contention with a 10-over-par 82.
Thomas bogeyed three of the first five holes and tied for ninth at 8 under, eight shots out of the lead.
"I thought it was a fantastic round of golf, given what we were dealing with to start the day", Spieth said.
Only six players had ever reached double digits under par in the previous 116 times at the U.S. Open.
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Erin Hills, an 11-year-old course shaped out of Wisconsin pastureland, didn't put up much of a fight without much wind.
Harman and Koepka spent much of the round locked at the top of the leaderboard.
Birdies were nowhere to be found on this hole, but sitting on a multi-shot advantage, Koepka maneuvered his way around it and posted another red number to effectively clinch the U.S. Open. Amidst a five-strong flurry of front-nine bogies, the 33-year old Victorian quickly extinguished any flickering hopes he may have harboured of ultimate victory. "But he's played so well in the majors, and played great in the Ryder Cup (at Hazeltine)".
While Koepka - the seventh first-time Major victor in a row - stuck diligently to his game plan, others flattered only to deceive.
He still had to go lower than anyone to win, and he was stout on Sunday - making six birdies, hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation, and 12 of 16 fairways (including roasting a 3-wood 379 yards on the 72nd hole). "To me, as long as you have the best players in the world and you have a hard golf course, everybody has a fair shot at it".
And after tapping in the final putt on the finishing hole, he pumped his fist three times and yelled, "Yes!" A day after signing for a 63, Justin Thomas (75 for 280) floundered. But a deft pitch was followed by an unerring putt from just inside seven feet.
"I just kept doing what I had been doing for three days", was his simple explanation of his six-birdie, one-bogey final round.
"The Challenge Tour's a great tour; it gives you a good grounding, I think, " Fleetwood said. And once Koepka made his third straight birdie at 16, Harman knew his championship chase was over.
He was two back of Jordan Spieth and Bubba Watson heading into the last round at the 2014 Masters but shot 73 and never threatened.
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