Five things about the new champion of Erin Hills

New US Open champion Brooks Koepka became the seventh successive first-time winner of a major with his victory at Erin Hills. Here, Courier Sport takes a look at the man behind the golfer.

UNLUCKY BREAK: A 10-yearold Koepka sustained a broken nose and fractures to his sinus cavity when he was involved in a car accident, resulting in him being banned from playing contact sports for the summer. He took up golf as a suitable alternative, enrolled in a junior programme and that helped start him on his career path.

DREAM JOB?: Despite his

success Koepka is not a golf nerd and admits “golf is kind of boring”. Given the choice he would have been a baseball player like his great uncle Dick Groat, a World Series winner with both the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St Louis Cardinals. He is also a fan of “proper football” and names Manchester United as his favourite team along with basketball franchise the Los Angeles Lakers.

SIBLING RIVALRY: Brooks has a brother called Chase who is also a professional golfer. However, whereas Brooks has just broken into the world’s top 10 Chase is 865

places behind. The pair were partners in April’s Zurich Classic, a two-person team event. “We could either kill each other or it could be an awesome week,” Brooks said. They finished tied fifth.

FAMOUS FOOTSTEPS: Koepka failed to earn a PGA Tour card at the 2012 qualifying school, missing out by three strokes in the second stage alongside a certain Jordan Spieth, whom he is now only one behind in terms of major wins. Koepka went to play on the Challenge Tour and graduated to the European Tour and was named rookie of the year for both

the European and PGA Tours in 2015.

SIGNIFICANT OTHER: Koepka’s girlfriend Jena Sims is a former Miss Georgia Teen pageant winner who moved into acting and has worked with the likes of Morgan Freeman, Robert De Niro and Michael Douglas in the film Last Vegas and also starred in movies such as Attack of the 50ft Cheerleader. Her work in television includes appearances in Entourage, Dexter, Vampire Diaries, CSI and One Tree Hill and she also runs the award-winning charity Pageant of Hope.