Tour News
Koepka dominates on Sunday, wins U.S. Open
Brooks Koepka was always in the conversation during his college and amateur days. He was tall, strong and long. He won his share of collegiate and amateur events, but he never figured into World Amateur or Walker Cup team considerations. He headed for Europe when he turned professional in 2012, and he won events on both the Challenge and European tours.
In 2014, Koepka returned to the PGA Tour and placed fourth at the U.S. Open, securing his tour card. Fast forward past his first tour win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in 2015 and his first Ryder Cup appearance in 2016, and Brooks Koepka is now a major champion, the 2017 U.S. Open winner.
What Koepka Did
.@BKoepka birdie count: ????????????????????????
Tune into @FOXTV now to watch Koepka chase history at the 117th #USOpen. https://t.co/6ElnEiyy6k
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2017
Koepka made a herculean length of putts during his final round at Erin Hills. He made one mistake, a three-whack on the 10th green for bogey. When other golfers began to feel the pressure of the lead, Koepka responded with a trilogy of birdies on Nos. 14-16 to assume a four-stroke lead.
Related: Photos of the clubs Koepka used to win
On Sunday, Koepka played nearly flawless golf from tee to green. Twelve of 14 times, he played from the fairway on par-4 and par-5 holes. Seventeen of 18 times, he putted for birdie from the frog hair. Koepka opened and closed the tournament with 67s, he was never over par, and he walked with the aplomb of a lad out for a stroll.
How Koepka Did It
He surrounded himself with success. It’s no longer a secret that Koepka and Dustin Johnson, the 2016 U.S. Open winner, are workout buddies. They compete in the fitness room and on the golf course. Koepka, Florida-born, bred and educated, lives in the same area as Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas and many other top young professionals.
Koepka drew on his experience at the 2011 U.S. Amateur, also played at Erin Hills. Although he did not make match play that year, he learned enough about the course to carry him on into 2017. On Sunday, at the 13th hole, Koepka holed a 9-foot putt for par to avoid an unsettling bogey. Buoyed by that stroke, he went on his birdie tear.
What The Others Didn’t
Maintain their composure, draw on their experience, play to their spots… however you wish to qualify it. It’s too much to ask a golfer to follow up a record round with something good enough to win. Justin Thomas made three bogeys in his first five holes, and his par at No. 1 had to feel like another. His only birdie of the day came at the 10th hole, and by the end of the day Thomas tumbled to a tie for ninth place.
Round and round we go!
And we have a new co-leader. #USOpen https://t.co/E7U6RJ0VWG
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2017
Brian Harman could not have done much more in his quest to claim the U.S. Open title. He went out in 1-under and held the lead until consecutive bogeys at Nos. 12 and 13 coincided with Koepka’s surge. Harman was not daunted, and he responded with birdies of his own at Nos. 14 and 16. His last gasp, a birdie run at No. 17, lipped out. Harman’s tie for second with Hideki Matsuyama was confirmed with a two-putt bogey at the last.
Hideki is in the clubhouse at -12 after a 6-under 66 in the #USOpen final round. https://t.co/BeQRLX7Hn9
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2017
As for Matsuyama, he started too far back. His opening 74 put him way back, but his 65 on Friday reduced the margin. He was unable to maintain the momentum, and scratched out a 71 on Saturday. Sunday saw him post the low round of the day, a 66, built on eight birdies and two bogeys. Matsuyama needed to be perfect, but he fell just shy. Bogeys at the par-3 sixth and the par-4 fifteenth kept him for a Justin Thomas-type round and from applying supreme pressure to Koepka and Harman.
Who Leaves Gutted
.@RickieFowler, 2 back.#USOpen https://t.co/R9ETZLXQtz
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2017
More than anyone, Rickie Fowler. This was the one he was supposed to win. He was in a good pairing with Si Woo Kim, the 2017 Players Championship winner. No great rivals with major title to their names were on the first page of the leaderboard. Fowler began his day with birdie, but he played the rest of the outward half in even par. Pressing, he made bogey at Nos. 12 and 15, and a closing birdie brought him back to a fifth-place tie. The more opportunities slip away, the more questions he will have about his ability to close the door.
Patrick Reed seemed to have found the magic garb: his Ryder Cup pants from 2016. They compelled him to a wonderful 65 on Saturday, 10 shots better than Friday. The knock on Reed is his Poulter-esque ability to represent his side in international play, but not perform as an individual. Reed had three bogeys and one birdie on the day, and like Fowler, left Erin Hills with questions.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage
GolfWRX is on site this week at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island for the RBC Heritage. Plenty of golfers who competed in the Masters last week will be making the quick turnaround in the Lowcountry of South Carolina as the Heritage is again one of the Tour’s Signature Events.
We have general albums for you to check out, as well as plenty of WITBs — including Justin Thomas and Justin Rose.
We’ll continue to update as more photos flow in from SC.
Check out links to all our photos, below.
General Albums
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #2
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Justin Thomas – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Rose – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Nick Dunlap – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Thomas Detry – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Austin Eckroat – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Jason Day – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Will Zalatoris – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Ludvig Aberg – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Collin Morikawa – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Sam Burns – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Stephen Jaeger – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
Pullout Albums
- Wyndham Clark’s Odyssey putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- JT’s new Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Thomas testing new Titleist 2 wood – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey putter with triple track alignment aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Scotty Cameron The Blk Box putting alignment aid/training aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey Ai One Eleven T putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Christian Bezuidenhout – testing new Callaway Ti 340 mini driver – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele testing the Callaway Ti 340 mini driver & the DUW – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Byeong Hun An, two new L.A.B. Golf putter builds with “T” alignment – 2024 RBC Heritage
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Valero Texas Open
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Valero Texas Open.
The event has been around since 1922, making it one of the oldest on the PGA Tour calendar. Over the years, it’s been held at a variety of courses across the Lone Star State, but it’s found its home at TPC San Antonio in recent years. Some of the biggest names in golf have taken home the title here, including Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Lee Trevino, and Ben Crenshaw.
GolfWRX has its usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs and special pull-out albums. As always, we’ll continue to update the links below as more photos come in from TPC San Antonio.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Ben Taylor – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Paul Barjon – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Joe Sullivan – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Wilson Furr – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Ben Willman – SoTex PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Jimmy Stanger – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Rickie Fowler – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Harrison Endycott – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Vince Whaley – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Kevin Chappell – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Christian Bezuidenhout – WITB (mini) – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Scott Gutschewski – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
Pullout Albums
- Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Ben Taylor with new Titleist TRS 2 wood – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Swag cover – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Greyson Sigg’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Davis Riley’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Josh Teater’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Hzrdus T1100 is back – – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Mark Hubbard testing ported Titleist irons – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Tyson Alexander testing new Titleist TRS 2 wood – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Hideki Matsuyama’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Cobra putters – 2024 Valero Texas Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.
As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.
General Albums
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Thorbjorn Olesen – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ben Silverman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jesse Droemer – SoTX PGA Section POY – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- David Lipsky – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Martin Trainer – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Zac Blair – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jacob Bridgeman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Trace Crowe – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Daniel Berger – WITB(very mini) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Chesson Hadley – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Callum McNeill – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Rhein Gibson – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Patrick Fishburn – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Raul Pereda – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Gary Woodland WITB (New driver, iron shafts) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Padraig Harrington WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Pullout Albums
- Tom Hoge’s custom Cameron – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Piretti putters – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ping putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Kevin Dougherty’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Bettinardi putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Erik Barnes testing an all-black Axis1 putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Tony Finau’s new driver shaft – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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mlecuni
Jun 19, 2017 at 3:20 pm
By the way, another top 5 in a major for hideki, he must have worked harder during SB2K17.
Ronald Montesano
Jun 19, 2017 at 9:26 pm
He is so close, I think we all realize this. Maybe not Birkdale, but yes to Charlotte and PGA.
Michael
Jun 19, 2017 at 6:47 am
No mention on European players despite a good showing. Typical YouSA bias from this woeful website.
ooffa
Jun 19, 2017 at 10:43 am
USA, USA, USA,
H
Jun 19, 2017 at 1:58 pm
Well, 3 out of 4 majors are in the USA. Duh. So unless that changes in the entire planet of golf, where majors are spread out throughout the globe, to say, one in Europe, one in the US, one in Australia and one in Japan or something – then they would have to also create one for Africa or the Middle East – and that will NEVER happen – as the US nor GB would ever let the glory of their games be taken away from them.
mlecuni
Jun 19, 2017 at 3:16 pm
The editorial line of this website is far from open minded about the planet golf no matter how many majors are in the rest of the world.
Ronald Montesano
Jun 19, 2017 at 9:28 pm
Fleetwood deserved some type of mention, but he was never in the lead past Saturday, and I didn’t want to write about how wretched his third and 4th shots were on 18 in round 3. He is a professional and neither of those shots should have come off the way they did. He was certainly lurking on Sunday, but did not surge.
Old Putter
Jun 20, 2017 at 7:32 pm
You wanna mention Fleetwood….
Mention how far right he hit it all day
972randell
Jun 18, 2017 at 11:56 pm
Seems kopeks won his second tour event, the Greater Milwaukee Open.
Ronald Montesano
Jun 19, 2017 at 9:29 pm
HAAAAAAH
No, really, it was a US Open, with all the trimmings.
Ian
Jun 21, 2017 at 6:38 am
and by “trimmings” you mean the USGA were out on the course doing a little trimming here and a little trimming there.
Frankie
Jun 18, 2017 at 11:28 pm
It’s all about the long ball now, with the past two US Open’s being won by guys with 180+ MPH ball speed, we’ll see another long baller win next year
SH
Jun 19, 2017 at 3:29 am
Snead was a bomber, Hogan was a bomber, Nicklaus was a bomber, Eldrick was a bomber all in their day, so Watchu talking aboot? Nothing’s changed. It’s the same game. Remember that Jack won the Long Drive contest at Oakmont with a 341 drive in 1963 with persimmon driver, steel stiff shaft and a rubber ball!!!!
And the USGA stretched this course at Erin Hills. Blame it on the benign weather, if you want. Don’t discount the bombers – they still have to be able to putt. And Brooks made some great ones.
Ronald Montesano
Jun 19, 2017 at 9:30 pm
Well put, SH.
Harman played great golf. Deserved a shot at a win and he got it. Koepka beat him with his putting, not his ball speed. No one makes those three putts on 14-16, NO ONE!
Judge Smells
Jun 18, 2017 at 10:04 pm
zzzzzzz well done Brooks
Ronald Montesano
Jun 19, 2017 at 9:31 pm
Bah and Humbug, Ebenezer!
Nothing boring about this Open. Great golf, superlative course, well-run event.
rex235
Jun 18, 2017 at 9:26 pm
More than once a FOX commentator (Shane O Donoghue)noted how Sergio Garcia could join those players who had won both the Masters and the US Open in the same year.
Arnold Palmer-1960
Jack Nicklaus- 1972
Jordan Spieth- 2015
He must have been instructed about mentioning “you know who” in 2002……
Mr.Nodoubt
Jun 18, 2017 at 11:43 pm
Hogan did it in ’51 as well
Bob
Jun 19, 2017 at 3:24 pm
and ’53
Caroline
Jun 18, 2017 at 9:06 pm
Great to see a real hard working golfer win…..had to watch the last 3 holes of the open today without sound as my dad said, dear I cannot take another minute of those guys in the broadcast booth…one of the best opens in years with worst broadcast time ever.
TCJ
Jun 20, 2017 at 11:11 am
FOX is terrible. The online streaming commentary was wretched. Joe Buck? C’mon…
ski_co
Jun 30, 2017 at 8:47 am
I was sick of the plane flying around all day. Should be some way to prevent one guy flying in circles and disrupting everyone’s day.