It’s only fitting that on Super Bowl Sunday, the player who most resembles a linebacker outmuscled the field, with Brooks Koepka firing a 6-under 65 to win by one over Xander Schauffele and Kyoung-Hoon Lee. Brawny Brooks started the day 13-under, five shots behind the leaders Jordan Spieth and Xander Schauffele. But the final group of the day started slow and finished that way, giving those chasing a shot at the title and making it anyone’s tournament down the stretch. For most of the final round Brooks wasn’t even in the conversation of potential winners. But that all changed when he made three-straight birdies starting on 13. Then, after a miraculous hole-out for eagle from just off the green at the drivable par-4 17th, Koepka grabbed the solo lead, which he would not relinquish.
But there were other favourites as the back nine got underway (as mentioned, this tournament was a free for all with an hour to go), including James Hahn, who came out of the gate with six birdies in his first 10 holes to leapfrog the leaders and take the solo lead into his back nine. But the pressure of Sunday knows no friends, and Hahn limped home to finish at 15-under for 10th place. Another late-round surge came from Carlos Ortiz, who went four-under in his last four-holes to take the clubhouse lead at 17-under, good enough for a T-4 finish.
H.K. Lee and Xander Schauffele were the only players left with a chance to tie after Brooks posted his score, but Schauffele promptly drove it in the water on 17, and H.K. Lee missed his birdie on 18 to give Brooks his eighth PGA Tour win.
“I felt like I’ve been playing really well,” said Koepka after his round. “I love the way I’ve been playing even though I was missing cuts. I was playing well all week and I was knocking on the door.”
Koepka, who missed his last three cuts, has been rehabilitating a knee injury over the past several weeks. “It’s been very humbling. I’ve had some dark moments and was in some dark places mentally. I didn’t know if I was going to ever be the same again.” Koepka said of his journey back into the winner’s circle. “I’m very proud of myself.”
Return of the Roars
The crowds this week were capped at 5,000 people a day, so the typical mayhem that’s become synonymous with the WMPO was rather subdued. That said, it was nice to have fans back in significant numbers, and for the first time in a long time there were legitimate roars on the golf course. All in all, the return to “normal” fandom may still be months away, but it was exciting to get a small sample of it this weekend.
Spieth’s Stellar Saturday
Brooks won the tournament, but it was Jordan who won our hearts this week. Few players have had Spieth’s early career success, but the three-time major winner has struggled mightily of late.
With his last win coming at the 2017 British Open, many have wondered if the future Hall-of-Famer’s best days were already behind him. But on Saturday, Spieth reminded us of his greatness, firing a career-low 61 that sent a buzz throughout the golf world. It was hard not to root for Jordan on Sunday. But alas, it wasn’t meant to be. His tee shots on 15 and 17 found the water, and so sank his hopes of snapping his winless drought. Spieth shot one-over 73 in the final round to finish 17-under in a tie for fourth.
WHATS IN THE BAG (WITB)
Driver: TaylorMade SIM2
Fairway Wood: TaylorMade M2 Tour HL
Driving iron: Nike Vapor Pro
Irons: Srixon ZX7
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 (52 degree, 56 degree), SM5 TVD, (60 degree)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Tour Only T10 Select Newport 2
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x