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Brooks Koepka has returned to the top of the tree, winning the US PGA Championship for the third time at Oaks Hill, NY. He held out Norwegian playing partner Viktor Hovland and American Scottie Scheffler to win by two strokes.
Brooks played steady golf and looked in control all the way during the majority of the final round, even though he found the vicious rough several down the stretch. With strength and great touch, he continued to find the green and he made some clutch putts along the way. It was his 5th Major title and he looks to have returned back to full health and his best condition after a couple of injury interrupted years and an LIV defection.
Viktor Hovland showed he will win majors in the next few years. He holed a great putt on eighteen to tie Scottie Scheffler for second placing.
Aussie Cam Davis possibly played the round of his life, shooting a closing 65 to finish T4 – guaranteeing him a start in the 2024 Masters and at the US PGA amongst others! His medium term US PGA Tour career is assured. He shared fourth place with Kurt Kitayama and Bryson DeChambeau on -3, six shots behind Koepka.
Sepp Straka and Rory McIlroy finished on -2 to tie for 7th, while Australia’s Cam Smith (who also finished with an equal best final round of 65) shot up the leader board to finish T9, with Patrick Cantlay and Justin Rose.
The twin Cams led the Australian assault on the PGA, which produced some fine results for the green and gold. Min Woo Lee was at the top end of the leader board after the third round, but he slipped back to T18 to finish on +2. Adam Scott (T29) was also at the pointy end of proceedings and after the first round he could have been co leader if he hadn’t double bogeyed the final hole. Two rounds of 74 followed and he fell too far behind the leading pack to challenge on the last day.
Lucas Herbert finished T40 to make it a handful of Australians to make the cut of the year’s second major – a great result. Let’s hope one of our Aussies can go all the way at the next major - the US Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts (June 15-18).
In a real feel good story, US PGA club professionals have a chance to play in the PGA each year via a series of qualifying events and roughly ten pros started. One pro, Michael Block, played the tournament of his life, the only Club Pro to make the cut for the final two days. Better than that, he was inside the top 10.
Block held his nerve in the third round with his third 70 in as many days to stay in the Top 10, paired to play with Rory McIlroy in the final round. He shot a 71 to finish in T15 – a position that guarantees him a start at next year’s PGA. His probable career highlight was slam dunking the par three 15th for an ace during the last round. The crowd went nuts as he stood in disbelief. His up and down on the final hole to hold a tie for 15th and earn that start at the 2024 PGA was a great end to a fairy tale week for the 46 year old (new) pin up of Club Pro golf in America. He is the first Club Pro to finish in the Top 40 since 2005.