US PGA Championship 2023: Brooks Koepka beats Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland at Oak Hill22nd May 2023
| -9 B Koepka (US); -7 S Scheffler (US), V Hovland (Nor); -3 C Davis (Aus) K Kitayama (US) B DeChambeau (US);-2 S Straka (Aut) R McIlroy (NI) |
| Selected: -1 J Rose (Eng), C Smith (Aus); Level S Lowry (Ire); +1 T Hatton (Eng), M Block (US); +2 T Fleetwood (Eng);+5 C Tarren (Eng); +7 J Rahm (Spa)
A resurgent Brooks Koepka held off Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland to claim his third US PGA Championship title at Oak Hill in New York state. Koepka, 33, carded a three-under 67 to win his fifth major on nine under, two shots clear of Scheffler and Hovland. Scheffler, who returns to world number one, hit a 65 to get to seven under, while Hovland – who had a double bogey on the 16th – shot a two-under 68. Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy carded a 69 to end joint seventh on two under. There was also a magical moment when south California club professional Michael Block once again illuminated the East Course with a hole-in-one at the 151-yard par-three 15th. The 46-year-old was one of 20 club professionals at the championship, but the only one to make the cut and he has delighted fans all week with his carefree attitude. And they erupted once again to celebrate the ace, although Block was only aware of his feat after he asked his playing partner McIlroy, “Rory, did it go in?” before the two shared a warm embrace. Block’s ace is the first at this championship since 2020 and helped him finish joint 15th, which earns him an exemption for next year’s tournament at Valhalla. However, even he could not distract from a moment of redemption for his fellow American Koepka, who held a four-shot lead at April’s Masters before eventually finishing as runner-up to Jon Rahm. It is the third time in five years that Koepka has played a major championship in the state of New York and come out on top. “This is incredible,” Koepka said. “I look back at where we were two years ago. I am just so happy right now, this is just the coolest thing. “I don’t know how many guys have won five times, but to be with those groups of names is absolutely incredible and I’ll be honest I’m not even sure I dreamed of it as a kid.” He joins greats of the game Seve Ballesteros, Peter Thomson, Byron Nelson, John Henry Taylor and James Braid as a quintuple major winner. |