Brooks Koepka
Brooks Koepka | |||||||||
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![]() Koepka after winning the 2017 U.S. Open | |||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||
Born | West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. | May 3, 1990||||||||
Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14.6 st) | ||||||||
Sporting nationality | ![]() | ||||||||
Residence | Jupiter, Florida, U.S. | ||||||||
Career | |||||||||
College | Florida State University | ||||||||
Turned professional | 2012 | ||||||||
Current tour(s) | PGA Tour | ||||||||
Former tour(s) | European Tour Challenge Tour | ||||||||
Professional wins | 15 | ||||||||
Highest ranking | 1 (October 21, 2018)[1] (47 weeks) | ||||||||
Number of wins by tour | |||||||||
PGA Tour | 8 | ||||||||
European Tour | 6 | ||||||||
Japan Golf Tour | 2 | ||||||||
Challenge Tour | 4 | ||||||||
Best results in major championships (wins: 4) | |||||||||
Masters Tournament | T2: 2019 | ||||||||
PGA Championship | Won: 2018, 2019 | ||||||||
U.S. Open | Won: 2017, 2018 | ||||||||
The Open Championship | T4: 2019 | ||||||||
Achievements and awards | |||||||||
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Brooks Koepka (/ˈkɛp.kə/, born May 3, 1990) is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour and hates Bryson DeChambeau. In October 2018, he became World Number 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking for 47 weeks after winning the 2018 CJ Cup.[2] He won the U.S. Open in 2017 and 2018, and the PGA Championship in 2018 and 2019, becoming the first golfer in history to hold back-to-back titles in two majors simultaneously. He started his career on the European Challenge Tour and eventually the European Tour. He played college golf at Florida State University.
Koepka claimed his first major championship at the U.S. Open in 2017 at Erin Hills, Wisconsin.[3][4] He successfully defended his title in 2018 at Shinnecock Hills on Long Island, the first golfer to win consecutive U.S. Opens since Curtis Strange in 1988 and 1989. He won his third major at the 2018 PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club, shooting a major-championship-record-tying 264 over 72 holes. His 2018 victories in the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship were the first instance of that double since Tiger Woods in 2000. He won his fourth major at the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black.
Early years
Born in West Palm Beach, Florida, Koepka was raised in Lake Worth, and attended Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach.
Career
Amateur
He played college golf at Florida State University in Tallahassee, where he won three events and was a three-time All-American.[5] He qualified for the 2012 U.S. Open as an amateur, but missed the cut by six strokes.[6]
Professional
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/2018_US_Open_golfers_08.jpg/220px-2018_US_Open_golfers_08.jpg)
2012–2013
In the summer of 2012, Koepka turned professional and began playing on the Challenge Tour in Europe. He won his first title in September at the Challenge de Catalunya.[7]
In 2013, he had his second victory on the Challenge Tour, winning the 2013 Montecchia Golf Open.[citation needed] He followed this a month later with his third win, the Fred Olsen Challenge de España, where he set the tournament record, 260 (−24), and won by a record 10 strokes.[8]
Three weeks later, he had his third win of the year at the Scottish Hydro Challenge. With those three wins, he earned his European Tour card for the remainder of the 2013 season and for the full 2014 season.[9] The day after his third Challenge Tour win of 2013, Koepka qualified for the 2013 Open Championship. Koepka made his debut as a member of the European Tour (he played in three events prior to promotion to membership) at the Scottish Open, finishing T12.[10]
2014
On the 2014 PGA Tour, Koepka played a few events on sponsor's exemptions and through open qualifying.[11] In his first event of the year, Koepka led after the second and third rounds of the Frys.com Open. He finished tied for third. At the U.S. Open, he collected a fourth-place finish, which earned him his first PGA Tour card, for the 2014–15 season, and his first Masters invitation. He was 15th at the PGA Championship, and was nominated for the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award.[12]
On the 2014 European Tour, Koepka won the Turkish Airlines Open and finished third at the Dubai Desert Classic and Omega European Masters, and ninth at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. He ranked 8th in the 2014 Race to Dubai rankings and was named the European Tour's Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year.[13]
2015
On February 1, 2015, Koepka won his first PGA Tour event, the Waste Management Phoenix Open[14] and moved to 19th in the Official World Golf Ranking.[15]
At the 2015 Open Championship, Koepka improved every day and a final round 68 vaulted him into a tie for 10th at the Old Course at St Andrews. The next week, Koepka was tied for fourth after 54 holes at the RBC Canadian Open but a final round 74 pushed him down to a tie for 18th at the Glen Abbey Golf Course. He then tied for 6th at the 2015 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and tied for 5th at the 2015 PGA Championship. In 2015, he chose to give up his European Tour membership.[16]
2016–2017
Koepka finished tied for 4th at the 2016 PGA Championship. In November 2016, Koepka won the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament in Japan.[17]
In 2017, Koepka won his first major championship by claiming the U.S. Open title at Erin Hills, Wisconsin.[4] His win tied him for the record of the lowest U.S. Open score at 16 under (tied with Rory McIlroy's 2011 record).[18]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Brooks_Koepka_with_the_U.S._Open_Trophy.jpg/220px-Brooks_Koepka_with_the_U.S._Open_Trophy.jpg)
2018
Koepka had to undergo wrist surgery after the 2017 season and had hoped that his recuperation would be complete in time for the 2018 Masters Tournament but he had to withdraw, saying that he was only 80% fit.[19] He recovered to successfully defend his U.S. Open title at Shinnecock Hills, becoming the first player since Curtis Strange in 1989 to win consecutive U.S. Open titles, which has occurred only seven times.[20] He won his third major at the 2018 PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club to become only the fifth player, and the first since Tiger Woods in 2000, to win the U.S. Open and the PGA titles in the same year.[21][22]
At the 2018 Ryder Cup, an errant tee shot by Koepka struck a female spectator and caused a globe rupture of her right eye resulting in her losing vision in that eye.[23][24] Also at the Ryder Cup, it was rumored that Koepka and teammate Dustin Johnson got into a feud over some personal issues but Koepka denied these claims saying, "This Dustin thing I don't get, there is no fight, no argument, he's one of my best friends. People like to make a story and run with it. It's not the first time there's been a news story that isn't true that has gone out."[25]
On October 21, 2018, Koepka won the CJ Cup, and the win moved him to number one in the Official World Golf Ranking.[26]
2019
On May 19, 2019, Koepka won the 2019 PGA Championship, the first to successfully defend the PGA Championship since Tiger Woods in 2007.[27] With his win in this major championship, Koepka regained the #1 position in the Official World Golf Ranking.[28]
Through the 2019 season, Koepka has made the cut in 92% of the major championships he's entered (22 out of 24).
On July 28, 2019, Koepka won the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. By doing so, he won $1,745,000 and clinched the season-long Wyndham Rewards Top 10 Challenge and an additional $2,000,000.[29]
On August 4, 2019, Koepka clinched the season-long Aon Risk Reward Challenge and another $1,000,000 for the 2018–19 season. This challenge selects one hole in every participating event and designates it as the Aon Risk Reward hole for that week. The challenge rewards the player who has the best two scores from every participating event that a player competes in throughout the season, measured by the lowest average score to par on these holes.[30]
Koepka won the PGA of America Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year.[31]
Koepka qualified for the 2019 Presidents Cup but withdrew because of a knee injury and was replaced by Rickie Fowler on November 20, 2019.[32]
His caddie since 2013 is Ricky Elliott.[33]
2020–2021
Koepka was plagued by hip and knee pains for the majority of the season and withdrew from competition prior to the FedEx Cup playoffs.[34]
In February 2021, Koepka won the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona. Koepka overcame a five-shot deficit on the final day, with a 6-under-par 65. This was his second win at the event.[35] Koepka underwent knee surgery on March 16, 2021.[36]
Personal life
Koepka's younger brother, Chase, is also a professional golfer.[37] The two brothers played as partners in the 2019 Zurich Classic of New Orleans on the PGA Tour, the only Tour event using a team format.[38]
His great uncle is Major League Baseball player Dick Groat.[39]
On April 1, 2021, Koepka announced his engagement to actress Jena Sims.[40]
Amateur wins
- 2009 Rice Planters Amateur
- 2011 Brickyard Collegiate
- 2012 Seminole Intercollegiate, Florida Atlantic Intercollegiate
Professional wins (15)
PGA Tour wins (8)
Legend |
Major championships (4) |
World Golf Championships (1) |
Other PGA Tour (3) |
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Feb 1, 2015 | Waste Management Phoenix Open | −15 (71-68-64-66=269) | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
2 | Jun 18, 2017 | U.S. Open | −16 (67-70-68-67=272) | 4 strokes | ![]() ![]() |
3 | Jun 17, 2018 | U.S. Open (2) | +1 (75-66-72-68=281) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
4 | Aug 12, 2018 | PGA Championship | −16 (69-63-66-66=264) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
5 | Oct 21, 2018 | CJ Cup at Nine Bridges | −21 (71-65-67-64=267) | 4 strokes | ![]() |
6 | May 19, 2019 | PGA Championship (2) | −8 (63-65-70-74=272) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
7 | Jul 28, 2019 | WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational | −16 (68-67-64-65=264) | 3 strokes | ![]() |
8 | Feb 7, 2021 | Waste Management Phoenix Open (2) | −19 (68-66-66-65=265) | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() |
PGA Tour playoff record (0–1)
No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2016 | AT&T Byron Nelson | ![]() |
Lost to par on first extra hole |
European Tour wins (6)
Legend |
Major championships (4) |
World Golf Championships (1) |
Race to Dubai finals series (1) |
Other European Tour (0) |
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Nov 16, 2014 | Turkish Airlines Open | −17 (69-67-70-65=271) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
2 | Jun 18, 2017 | U.S. Open | −16 (67-70-68-67=272) | 4 strokes | ![]() ![]() |
3 | Jun 17, 2018 | U.S. Open (2) | +1 (75-66-72-68=281) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
4 | Aug 12, 2018 | PGA Championship | −16 (69-63-66-66=264) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
5 | May 19, 2019 | PGA Championship (2) | −8 (63-65-70-74=272) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
6 | Jul 28, 2019 | WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational | −16 (68-67-64-65=264) | 3 strokes | ![]() |
Japan Golf Tour wins (2)
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Nov 20, 2016 | Dunlop Phoenix Tournament | −21 (65-70-63-65=263) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
2 | Nov 19, 2017 | Dunlop Phoenix Tournament (2) | −20 (65-68-64-67=264) | 9 strokes | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Challenge Tour wins (4)
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sep 30, 2012 | Challenge de Catalunya | −16 (68-67-65=200)* | 3 strokes | ![]() |
2 | May 5, 2013 | Montecchia Golf Open | −23 (66-67-62-66=261) | 7 strokes | ![]() |
3 | Jun 2, 2013 | Fred Olsen Challenge de España | −24 (64-66-64-66=260) | 10 strokes | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
4 | Jun 23, 2013 | Scottish Hydro Challenge | −18 (70-66-62-68=266) | 3 strokes | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
*Note: The 2012 Challenge de Catalunya was shortened to 54 holes due to rain.
Major championships
Wins (4)
Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | U.S. Open | 1 shot deficit | −16 (67-70-68-67=272) | 4 strokes | ![]() ![]() |
2018 | U.S. Open (2) | Tied for lead | +1 (75-66-72-68=281) | 1 stroke | ![]() |
2018 | PGA Championship | 2 shot lead | −16 (69-63-66-66=264) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
2019 | PGA Championship (2) | 7 shot lead | −8 (63-65-70-74=272) | 2 strokes | ![]() |
Results timeline
Results not in chronological order in 2020.
Tournament | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | T33 | T21 | T11 | ||||
U.S. Open | CUT | T4 | T18 | T13 | 1 | 1 | |
The Open Championship | CUT | T67 | T10 | T6 | T39 | ||
PGA Championship | T70 | T15 | T5 | T4 | T13 | 1 |
Tournament | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | T2 | T7 | CUT |
PGA Championship | 1 | T29 | T2 |
U.S. Open | 2 | ||
The Open Championship | T4 | NT |
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
NT = No tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic
Summary
Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 5 |
PGA Championship | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 9 |
U.S. Open | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
The Open Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 5 |
Totals | 4 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 14 | 20 | 28 | 25 |
- Most consecutive cuts made – 24 (2013 PGA – 2020 Masters)
- Longest streak of top-10s – 5 (2018 PGA – 2019 Open)
Results in The Players Championship
Tournament | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Players Championship | CUT | T35 | T16 | T11 | T56 |
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
World Golf Championships
Wins (1)
Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational | 1 shot deficit | −16 (68-67-64-65=264) | 3 strokes | ![]() |
Results timeline
Tournament | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Championship | T17 | T23 | T48 | T27 | T2 | ||
Match Play | T17 | QF | R16 | T56 | NT1 | ||
Invitational | T6 | WD | T17 | 5 | 1 | T2 | |
Champions | T40 | T2 | T16 | NT1 |
1Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
WD = Withdrew
NT = No tournament
"T" = Tied
U.S. national team appearances
Professional
- Ryder Cup: 2016 (winners), 2018
- Presidents Cup: 2017 (winners)
See also
- 2013 Challenge Tour graduates
- List of Florida State Seminoles men's golfers
- List of golfers with most Challenge Tour wins
- List of golfers to achieve a three-win promotion from the Challenge Tour
- List of men's major championships winning golfers
- List of World Number One male golfers
References
- ^ "Week 42 2018 Ending 21 Oct 2018" (pdf). OWGR. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
- ^ "2018 CJ Cup: Brooks Koepka takes top ranking from Dustin Johnson with win in South Korea". CBS Sports. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
- ^ "Brooks Koepka's Sunday in 2 Minutes". USGA. June 18, 2017. Archived from the original on June 21, 2017. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
- ^ a b Martin, Sean (June 18, 2017). "Late surge lifts Koepka to major triumph". PGA Tour. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
- ^ "Brooks Koepka". Seminoles.com. Archived from the original on May 23, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
- ^ "U.S. Open Golf Championship (June 14 - 17, 2012): Leaderboard". ESPN. June 17, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
- ^ "American Koepka claims maiden Challenge Tour victory". PGA European Tour. September 30, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
- ^ "Record-breaker Brooks enters history books". PGA European Tour. June 2, 2013.
- ^ "With This Win – Brooks Koepka". PGA European Tour. June 23, 2013.
- ^ "Brooks Koepka – Results – 2013". PGA European Tour.
- ^ "Inside the Field 2014". PGA Tour.
- ^ "McIlroy voted 2013-14 PGA Tour Player of the Year; Hadley named top rookie". PGA Tour. October 1, 2014.
- ^ "Koepka named 2014 European Tour Rookie of the Year". PGA European Tour. November 25, 2014.
- ^ "Koepka earns 1st PGA Tour win". ESPN. Associated Press. February 1, 2015.
- ^ "Week 5: Koepka Breaks Into The Top 20". Official World Golf Ranking. February 2, 2015.
- ^ "Notes: Koepka gives up European Tour membership". PGA Tour. Associated Press. October 29, 2015.
- ^ Steinemann, Sean (November 20, 2016). "Brooks Koepka Wins the Dunlop Phoenix, Joins Elite Company". golf.com. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
- ^ "Koepka captures first major, ties U.S. Open record". PGA Tour. Associated Press. June 18, 2017.
- ^ Ballengee, Ryan. "Brooks Koepka to miss the 2018 Masters recovering from wrist injury". Golf News Net. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
- ^ Murray, Ewan (June 18, 2018). "Brooks Koepka makes history in holding off Fleetwood to retain US Open title". The Guardian. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
- ^ Murray, Ewan (August 13, 2018). "Brooks Koepka's nerveless display denies Tiger Woods fairytale victory". The Guardian. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- ^ "Column: Why it took 4 majors for Koepka to get his due". AP NEWS. May 21, 2019.
- ^ Zauzmer, Emily (October 2, 2018). "Golf Fan Loses Sight After Ball Hits Her at Ryder Cup: It Was an 'Explosion of the Eyeball'". People.
- ^ "Euro Tour to help fan who has lost vision from ball strike". MSN. Associated Press. October 2, 2018. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
- ^ "Brooks Koepka denies fight with Dustin Johnson, calls injury to spectator 'one of my worst days'". ESPN. October 3, 2018.
- ^ "Brooks Koepka has golf's top ranking with win in South Korea". Associated Press. October 21, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
- ^ Murray, Ewan (May 19, 2019). "Brooks Koepka survives mini-meltdown to retain US PGA Championship". The Guardian. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
- ^ "Week 20 – Koepka Returns to World No. 1". Official World Golf Ranking. May 19, 2019.
- ^ Everill, Ben (July 28, 2019). "Koepka takes out WGC and Wyndham Rewards". PGA Tour. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
- ^ Ross, Helen (August 4, 2019). "Wyndham Championship Round 4 updates: FedExCup, Wyndham Rewards, Aon Risk Reward Challenge". PGA Tour. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
- ^ Beall, Joel (August 26, 2019). "Brooks Koepka wins PGA of America Player of the Year over Rory McIlroy". Golf World.
- ^ Ferguson, Doug (November 20, 2019). "Koepka withdraws from Presidents Cup, replaced by Fowler". The Washington Post. Associated Press.
- ^ O'Connell, Ryan (June 18, 2017). "Ricky Elliot, Brooks Koepka's Caddie: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know".
- ^ Morse, Ben. "Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka ends season due to injury". CNN. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
- ^ "Brooks Koepka rallies to win Phoenix Open after eagling 17". CBC. Associated Press. February 7, 2021.
- ^ "Exclusive: Brooks Koepka reveals details of knee surgery, Masters plans". Golfweek. March 21, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
- ^ Huggan, John (June 28, 2017). "Chase Koepka hopes Challenge Tour experience can pay off the same way it did for big brother Brooks". Golf Digest. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
- ^ "Zurich Classic of New Orleans – Past Results". PGA Tour.
- ^ Hennessey, Stephen (May 18, 2019). "15 Things You Need To Know About Brooks Koepka". Golf Digest.
- ^ "Brooks Koepka announces engagement to actress Jena Sims". ESPN.com. April 1, 2021.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Brooks Koepka at the PGA Tour official site
- Brooks Koepka at the European Tour official site
- Brooks Koepka at the Japan Golf Tour official site
- Brooks Koepka at the Official World Golf Ranking official site