Koepka fires final-round 68 to win U.S. Open for 2nd straight year
Brooks Koepka's relationship with the U.S. Open trophy has been going so well over the past year that the 28-year-old decided to lock it down for another 365 days.
By striking the ball brilliantly again and adding some timely putting, Koepka ensured he would be taking home the trophy for the second-straight year, firing a 68 to claim the title by one stoke over Tommy Fleetwood at Shinnecock Hills on Sunday.
With the win, Koepka becomes the first player since Curtis Strange in 1988 and 1989 to win the U.S. Open title in back-to-back years, and just the seventh man in history to accomplish the feat.
| Place | Player | Round 4 score | Total to par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brooks Koepka | 68 | +1 |
| 2 | Tommy Fleetwood | 63 | +2 |
| 3 | Dustin Johnson | 70 | +3 |
| 4 | Patrick Reed | 68 | +4 |
| 5 | Tony Finau | 72 | +5 |
| T6 | Xander Schauffele | 68 | +6 |
| T6 | Tyrrell Hatton | 69 | +6 |
| T6 | Henrik Stenson | 71 | +6 |
| T6 | Daniel Berger | 73 | +6 |
Koepka entered the day tied for the lead with Dustin Johnson, Tony Finau and Daniel Berger, but quickly established himself as the man to beat with three birdies in his first five holes.
Surprisingly enough, Tommy Fleetwood emerged to present the toughest challenge for Koepka, as the Englishman mounted an impressive charge by tying the U.S. Open record for the lowest round with a 7-under 63.
Fleetwood wasted no time announcing to the field that he would be a factor, roasting the opening stretch with four birdies in his first seven holes.
After a momentary blip with a bogey on the ninth hole, Fleetwood continued his assault on Shinnecock Hills, firing off four straight birdies on the back nine to sit 7-under on the day while standing on the 18th fairway.
Needing a birdie to break the U.S. Open record for the lowest score, Fleetwood roped a towering draw toward the flag from 195 yards out, leaving himself just over eight feet to make history. Unfortunately, his putt would wobble to the right and he'd settle for a share of the record.
At the time, it looked as though Fleetwood's heroics would be a secondary moment of brilliance to whoever won the trophy. But conditions firmed up throughout the afternoon, and his total of 2-over looked more attractive by the minute.
After making a mess of the short par-3 11th, Koepka needed a 12-footer to save bogey and hold onto the lead. He rammed it into the back of the jar, and after an electric birdie on the par-5 16th, he was able to bogey again on the 18th and still get the win.
After his four-stroke 36-hole lead evaporated in Round 3, Johnson was unable to mount a Sunday charge alongside his good friend Koepka, finishing with an even-par 70 to sit alone in third place.