St Louis: Just call him big-game Brooks.
Not even Brooks Koepka can explain why he plays some of his best golf at the biggest events. The PGA Championship not only was his third major, he won two of the three majors he played this year and three of his last six.
And it goes deeper than that.
He has finished among the top 15 in 12 of the last majors he has played, dating to a tie for fourth in his US Open debut at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014.
“More attention to detail, more mentally focused, more… every shot really, really means something,” he said about his major performances. “Everyone on my team says I act a little different, the way I approach it. It’s very down to a routine this week, and other weeks… not saying I vary from the routine, but it’s much more disciplined.”
One oddity about his record is the low number of other victories, though it’s not as skewed as it seems considering his background.
On the PGA Tour, Koepka now has four victories — the Phoenix Open and three majors.
Koepka began his career on the Challenge Tour, winning three times in 2013 to earn a European Tour card. He also won the Turkish Airlines Open on the European Tour, and he has back-to-back titles in the Dunlop Phoenix on the Japan Golf Tour. He won last year by nine shots over Xander Schauffele.
Larry Nelson’s third major was his eighth PGA Tour title. Nelson had the fewest victories of those with at least three majors (since World War II) until Koepka.
Jordan Spieth’s third major was his 11th win on the PGA Tour. Payne Stewart’s third major also was his 11th victory on the PGA Tour. Nick Price had 14 titles on the PGA Tour when he won his third major, while Hale Irwin had 18 wins when he captured his third US Open.
Sergio’s swoon
One year after his Masters victory, Sergio Garcia was the only player to miss the cut in all four majors.
It wasn’t just the majors.
The PGA Championship was the seventh time that Garcia missed a cut this year, the most of a career that began in 1999. But it was one shot from looking very different. Bellerive also was the fourth time this year the Spaniard missed the cut by one shot.
He now goes to the Wyndham Championship this week at No. 131 in the FedEx Cup, needing to at least make the cut — and then do more — to finish among the top 125 and qualifying for the play-offs. He has never missed them since the FedEx Cup began in 2007.
And to think Garcia began the season with a victory in the Singapore Open.
Also in jeopardy is a spot on the Ryder Cup team for Europe. He likely would have to win the Wyndham Championship to move into the four spots from the world ranking points that qualify for the team. He is too far behind on the European Tour points list, which is based on money. Garcia has played on every Ryder Cup team since 1999 except 2010, when he served as a vice-captain.
