Dream comes true as Koepka hits No1 spot
American tops rankings after CJ Cup success Position he craved is secured in South Korea
Brooks Koepka at last has the world No1 status his major form deserves. The American assumed the role with a victory in yesterday’s CJ Cup and declared that it was “a dream come true”.
His eight-under 64 for a 21-under total of 267 and four-shot success was an appropriately dominant way to scale the summit. In truth, however, the rankings merely caught up with what everyone had accepted – that Koepka is currently the best player on Earth.
With back-to-back US Open victories and his USPGA Championship glory when staring down Tiger Woods two months ago, the 28-year-old had already established himself as the new world power, although it clearly felt wonderful for a man not prone to revealing too many of his emotions.
“To be world No1 is something I dreamed of as a kid,” Koepka said on the 18th green of the Nine Bridges Club on Jeju Island in South Korea. “I don’t think this one’s going to sink in.”
So Koepka assumes the mantle from Dustin Johnson – and, yes, there is more than a little irony in that scenario after the close friends had their contretemps in the Europe team room following last month’s Ryder Cup defeat – and the manner of this latest triumph suggests he could hold it for some time.
Remarkably, considering his hattrick of the game’s biggest titles, this was only Koepka’s fifth PGA Tour title. Going out in the company of Ian Poulter – the Englishman who fell away to finish in a tie for 10th after a 71 – Koepka held a two-shot lead, yet had to fend off his inspired countryman Gary Woodland, who made 10 birdies in his first 16 holes to pull level.
Koepka barely blinked, holing his chip from 70 yards on the 16th before eagling the last for a backnine 29. Koepka actually let out a yawn on the final green, but, be sure, the burning ambition is there.
“For me, I just need to keep winning,” he said. “I feel like to win a few more regular Tour events and then keep adding majors. I feel like my game’s set up for that. I’ve got so much confidence off winning those majors where – it’s incredible – every time I tee it up, I feel like I really have a good chance to win, whether I have my A-game or not.”
Koepka is the third player this year to reach No1 for the first time, joining Justin Thomas and England’s Justin Rose.
The last time that happened was in 1997, when Ernie Els, of South Africa, Tom Lehman and Woods each rose to the top position.