This was really great to see.
In the early hours of Monday morning (our time), Brooks Koepka joined an elite group of men to have won the US Open and PGA Championship in the same year.
- Gene Sarazen
- Ben Hogan
- Jack Nicklaus
- Tiger Woods
The Florida native closed out with a final round of 66 to finish at -16 and claim his third Major title in just two years. The only active players to achieve such a feat this century are Woods and Padraig Harrington.
The final day of the PGA was a thriller and, at one stage, 30 players were within five shots of Koepka in the lead. Justin Thomas looked the most likely challenger and Adam Scott got into the groove but it was Woods that would finish alone in second after a closing round of 64.
It was Woods at his most wild and wonderful. He missed all seven fairways on the opening nine and was constantly scrambling and pulling off stunning recoveries. The trademark fist pumps started to come out as putts disappeared into holes dotted across the back nine.
Major No.15 was not to be, ultimately, but Woods proved he is back to something close to his very best and a live threat again. At the conclusion of his championship, Woods said:
“These fans were so positive all week. I can’t thank them enough for what they were saying out there and what it meant to me as a player, just coming back and trying to win a major championship again.”
Gutted as he was to lose out to the nerveless Koepka, Woods was pure class in the way he conducted himself afterwards. Along with Rickie Fowler, he hung around beside the scoring cabin in order to be one of the first to congratulate the 28-year-old.
“Good job man. Amazing.”
Major respect ✊🏼 pic.twitter.com/INMj5RTMW7
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) August 12, 2018
Jena Sims, Koepka’s girlfriend, was on cloud nine after that pulsating final round but hit cloud ten after a hug and some nice Woods from one of golf’s true living legends.
Sims’ face as Woods followed Koepka into the cabin was one of pure exultation.
https://twitter.com/IamDJBillyC/status/1028782112336437251
It was a lovely moment after one of the best PGA Sundays in recent memory.
WATCH: Liverpool BOTTLED the title race 🤬 | Who will win the Premier League?
