Jordan Niebrugge reacts to his putt on the first hole during the final round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills in Erin, Wis. on Sunday, June 18, 2017.
American Brooks Koepka with the US Open trophy.
On the last day of the U.S. Open, Hideki Matsuyama was better than everyone else.
The long-hitting Florida native travelled far and wide, from Kazakhstan to Kenya and mainland Europe, cramming into bed and breakfast rooms with fellow players, spending some nights sleeping in cars, and learning about life and how to win.
Strong and aggressive, the 27-year-old Floridian is one of the longest drivers on the PGA Tour, averaging over 300 yards off the tee this season.
After an average start in the first two rounds, Stricker barely made the cutline at 1 above par.
The wind kicked up, but it didn't faze Koepka.
Ireland's Shane Lowry completed his week with a one-over-par round of 73, to finish on three-over for the tournament. The only drama at the end was whether he'd make birdie on the par-5 18th to break Rory McIlroy's scoring record in relation to par. He opened with a pair of tap-in birdies and putted for birdie on every hole but the par-3 13th. "Just don't get ahead of yourself", the laconic Koepka added. "I just wanted to be home, even though I was about to win the third one".
Trump boasts over victory of GOP candidate in Georgia
At first, Democrats might be tempted to believe it's a great sign for Ossoff, because activists flooded his campaign with cash. A Democrat and a Republican involved in the race both used the same phrase to describe how tight it is: "Coin flip".
This year's U.S. Open was not only an impressive display of Brooks Koepka's talents and his intense competitiveness, but it also showed off the depth in the men's game, particularly with the young Americans.
The round was littered with some fantastic approach shots and long putts as Thomas took advantage of overnight rains to move to 11-under, one shot off the lead by Brian Harman. I don't think anyone out here is. Play the same, too.
Heavy rain earlier in the week had softened the greens and taken the speed out of the fairways, and some golfers coped better than others in adapting to the new feel of the course.
"Dustin called me and told me just stay patient", said Koepka. They're very much a similar player, where nothing seems to bother them.
On the 13th hole, Koepka sank a par putt to give him the outright lead after Harmen bogeyed on the 12th. As Harman began to fade, Koepka poured it on with birdies over the next three holes, lightly pumping his fist after each one.
And on Sunday, the only day all week when a challenging wind tested the players, he missed only one green, in supreme command of all facets of his game as he compiled a five-under 67. I put myself in some good chances over the majors over the last few years and never really quite came through.
Koepka was mostly unknown to the casual golf watcher but his athletic build and solid form have made him a favorite of those looking for the next star of their fantasy golf league.
Rickie Fowler's hopes of ending his wait for a major faded with an error-strewn performance, a level-par 72 leaving him six shots adrift. It's a score that would've won all but two of the previous 116 renditions of the U.S. Open.
Comments