Brooks Koepka hails ‘sweetest’ main of his profession after ending four-year drought with PGA Championship triumph – and insists ‘as a child he did not even dream’ about successful 5
- Brooks Koepka finished two shots ahead of Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler
- American stated he was ‘misplaced for phrases’ and talked about ‘blood, sweat and tears’
- DailyMail.com supplies all the most recent worldwide sports activities information
Brooks Koepka labelled his fifth main title because the ‘sweetest’ of his profession after he accomplished his astonishing revival with victory at the PGA Championship on Sunday.
The American, as soon as feared as golf’s only big-game hunter since Tiger Woods, had seemed to be drifting away from relevance after a succession of significant knee accidents between 2019 and 2021.
However after claiming second place at the Masters final month Koepka went one higher at Oak Hill to grow to be one in every of solely 20 golfers to win 5 majors and his first in 4 years.
‘That is unimaginable, that is wild,’ stated Koepka, who carded a final-round 67 to beat Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler by two strokes.
‘After I look again at the place we had been two years in the past I am simply so joyful proper now. I am type of perplexed. That is the best factor.
Brooks Koepka leans on the trophy after sealing his victory within the PGA Championship
Koepka was delighted on the 18th inexperienced after sealing a two-shot win over his nearest rivals
‘This one is unquestionably loads sweeter. There’s a variety of blood, sweat and tears which have gone into this one. Life has modified loads for me however this one is tremendous gratifying for me.’
The win will elevate Koepka from forty fourth to thirteenth within the up to date world rankings and also will transfer him into the automated qualifying locations for the USA Ryder Cup workforce.
With the highest six going straight into Zach Johnson’s squad of 12, Koepka is predicted to sit down second, albeit with out having the ability to safe any additional factors till subsequent month’s US Open as his LIV circuit is at the moment deemed ineligible by golf’s official world rankings physique.
‘I do not know what number of guys have received 5 occasions however to be in with these names is unimaginable,’ Koepka added. ‘I am unsure as I child I even dreamed about doing it.
‘I am not making an attempt to show to anybody else that I can nonetheless play. I can nonetheless do it and I like the best way issues are beginning to come collectively. I feel once I’m wholesome I feel I am again to the place I used to be throughout that good stretch.’
Koepka needed to wait 4 years between main wins, however has now taken his tally to an excellent 5
Norway’s Viktor Hovland stated it ‘sucks’ to have fallen quick however is joyful together with his development
Hovland, who has completed fourth, seventh and second within the final three majors, stated: ‘It sucks proper now, however it’s actually cool to see that issues are getting in the suitable course.’
The Norwegian added: ‘If I simply preserve caring for my enterprise and simply preserve engaged on what I have been doing, I feel we’ll get one in every of these quickly.
‘Brooks is a superb participant and now he has 5 majors. I imply, that is a hell of a file proper there. It is not straightforward going toe to toe with a man like that.
‘So I really feel like I belong out right here, I simply have gotten to get just a little bit higher and hopefully it goes my approach the following time.’
In the meantime, Rory McIlroy shot a 3rd straight 69 to complete two below. He has lower a desperately subdued determine this week, together with his sport nowhere his ordinary requirements.
Rory McIlroy was off the tempo and needed to struggle onerous for his top-seven end at Oak Hill
That he completed within the high seven was right down to preventing spirit, although that leaves various technical gremlins to repair in simply three weeks forward of the US Open, together with a two-way miss off the tee.
He stated: ‘I truthfully did not really feel like I had an opportunity of successful this week.
‘I really feel type of shut but additionally so distant on the similar time. It is onerous to elucidate. I really feel like generally it was the worst I may have performed, however then on the similar time, it is like the most effective I may have performed. It is a bizarre feeling.
‘It simply would not really feel fairly the place it must be, so I simply want to return dwelling and work on some stuff and attempt to determine it out.’
