Brooks Koepka is back and has begun another period of world domination with his fifth Major victory at the US PGA, his Yorkshire coach has claimed.
And Pete Cowen insisted the LIV Golf star – and Manchester United fan – will now win the Open at Royal Liverpool in July. The new world No.13 won four Majors in 23 months and appeared unstoppable until his last victory at the 2019 US PGA.
Since then he has undergone two knee surgeries, a crisis of confidence and joined the Saudi-backed breakaway league. But after his near miss at the Masters, where he admitted he choked, the alpha male Koepka was back to his old, swaggering best at Oak Hill to beat the best in the world by two shots.
Koepka has become only the 20th man in history to win five Majors – and the first born after 1975. Since Sir Nick Faldo, only Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have won as many. He is only the third player to win the US PGA three times in a six-year span with Jack Nicklaus and Walter Hagen. He has joined the greats.
And Cowen, who famously gave Koepka a “bollocking” before his first Major win at the 2017 US Open, said he will now go on and on. “Getting back to his fitness was the key,” said the short-game guru. “He couldn’t do it 18 months ago. He was in a bad way mentally and a bad way physically.
“He has shown such determination and strength of character and mind to get back. He will go on another streak. He has already started. Second and first in the last two Majors.
“The Open – I think he will take that. I think he will win the Open. He knows when to attack, when to defend. Him and Ricky will sort that one out quite nicely.” His Northern Irish caddie, Ricky Elliott, added: “Now he is back fit, there is no doubt he can go on a streak again.”
And Koepka said: “I want to keep doing what I'm doing. It's working so far. Back to having a chance pretty much every time I tee it up.” The two started working together at the 2013 US PGA at Oak Hill. “We have come full circle,” said Elliott.
While his team insist he is a top man, Koepka showed a surlier side to the public until his appearance in the Netflix Full Swing series where he opened up on his vulnerability. Koepka, 33, said: “That's who I am. I'm open and honest. I know I seem like this big, bad, tough guy on the golf course that doesn't smile, doesn't do anything, but if you catch me off the golf course, I'll let you know what's going on. Now it feels damned good. Yeah, this one is definitely special!”
Elliott added: “He is going to appreciate it more this time after all he has gone through.”
Speaking in the caddie lounge with a Miller Lite after the trophy ceremony, the bagman added: “He loves it over in the UK. He has got an Irish caddie, an English coach. He started his golf over there on the Challenge Tour and still says it was his funnest time. He likes the hot dogs, he likes the brown sauce, he likes the football. He supports Manchester United because of me!”
LIV boss Greg Norman was quick to tweet he was “proud” of the tour’s first Major winner. The historic win also lifts him up to second place in the Ryder Cup rankings. New world No.1 Scottie Scheffler, who finished tied second with Viktor Hovland, said: “I want to win the Ryder Cup. I don't care about tours or anything like that.”
