Koepka to be crowned world No 1 after victory march in South Korea
Triple major champion Brooks Koepka will overtake Dustin Johnson and Justin Rose to become world No 1 for the first time after winning the CJ Cup by four strokes yesterday.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Koepka after completing a final round of eight-under par 64 at the US PGA Tour event in South Korea, highlighted by a chip-in for birdie on the 16th, to finish 21 under par.
“I don’t think I ever thought in my wildest dreams I’d be the best golfer in the world,” he added. “It’s amazing to go world number one with a win. I always wanted to earn my way to number one.”
The 2018 US PGA Tour Player of the Year, Koepka carded a total of 267 to capture first prize in the US$9.5 million (Dh34.8m) tournament.
In the process, Koepka held off fellow American Gary Woodland, who poured in 11 birdies as he charged to a final-round 63 for a 271 aggregate.
The in-form Koepka, who this year won his second and third majors at the US Open and the US PGA, shook off some shaky moments early in his final round at the Club at Nine Bridges on the southern resort island of Jeju. He started the week ranked third behind fellow Ryder Cup players Johnson and Rose, who both sat out the tournament, and will leapfrog the pair when the new rankings are announced today.
Koepka began his final round with a four-stroke lead over fellow American Scott Piercy and England’s Ian Poulter. But it was Woodland who emerged as Koepka’s nearest challenger after beginning five shots adrift.
Woodland’s four consecutive birdies from the sixth put him into a share of the lead at 14-under as Koepka, playing two groups behind, was trading three birdies with two bogeys on his front nine.
Woodland blinked first on the inward half with a bogey at the 10th, and Koepka birdied that hole a few minutes later to reopen a two-shot lead.
Woodland bounced back with two straight birdies at the 12th and 13th, but Koepka coolly matched the feat. Koepka closed with an eagle on the last to cap off the victory in style.
“I just hung in there. I’m not somebody that’s going to panic if things go the wrong way, pretty sure everybody can tell that,” Koepka said.