Brooks Koepka kept his head down and his mouth shut, quietly winning the US Open for the second consecutive year. While others were loudly complaining about the conditions at Shinnecock Hills, the defending champion showed he could handle just about any course conditions.
Koepka became the seventh player to win the US Open two years in a row, and the first to do so since Curtis Strange in 1989 and 1990.
Before the tournament began Koepka was listed anywhere from 18/1 to 25/1 to defend his title, well back of 8/1 favorite Dustin Johnson. Koepka was tied for 46th after a first-round 75, when many players struggled to tame the difficult course setup and high winds. Rory McIlroy, who was a pre-tournament 14/1 pick, posted a career-worst 80. Jordan Spieth, also at 14/1, carded a 78.
By the second day, however, the winds died down and the USGA softened the course. Koepka moved up from 46th to a tie for fifth after a 66. Oddsmakers still were not moved, and kept him at 14/1 to win going into the weekend. Johnson was a 2/3 pick.
“You don’t want to be that many back,” Koepka said after his second round. “But it’s a US Open, so disaster’s always around the corner. You never know what’s going to happen. You just keep putting the ball in play, hitting greens and try to sneak in a few birdies when you can.”
Tale of Two Courses
Again the USGA toughened up the course for the third round and the scores showed it. Those who went off earlier in the day didn’t have to face hard, fried putting surfaces. The greens were so fast by the time the leaders teed off, that balls being putted often rolled past the hole and off the green. The frustration was so great for Phil Mickelson, he took his putter and stopped a rolling putt, incurring a two-stroke penalty.
“At that time I just didn’t feel like going back and forth and hitting the same shot over,” Mickelson said. “I took the two-shot penalty and moved on.”
Second-round leader Johnson also struggled with the course. He shot a 77 and found himself tied with three other golfers, including Koepka, going into the final round. Before the round three players were within four shots of him. By Saturday evening, 15 had gotten that close.
“I didn’t feel like I played badly at all,.” Johnson said after his round. “Seven over, you know, usually is a terrible score, but, I mean, with the greens the way they got this afternoon, I mean, they were very, very difficult.”
Johnson Comes up Short
Despite his third-round struggles, Johnson was still the favorite going into Sunday’s final round. He was being offered at 2/1, while Koepka was grouped with Justin Rose at 4/1.
It was the defending champ who had the better day, shooting a final-round 68 to win by a shot over Tommy Fleetwood, who equaled a record for the best Sunday score in a major with a 63. Johnson finished third, two shots back.
“I always feel like I’m overlooked,” Koepka said after the victory. “I could care less. It doesn’t bug me. I just kind of keep doing what I’m doing, keep plugging away, kind of hide behind closed doors sometimes, which is nice, kind of the way I’d like to keep it.”
