Koepka looks for first U.S. Open three-peat in 114 years
LOS ANGELES — Brooks Koepka could be the first golfer to claim three consecutive wins at the US Open in 114 years this week at California’s iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links.
The 29-year-old, who won the tournament at Erin Hills and Shinnecock in 2017 and 2018, is also coming into Pebble Beach with the momentum of a second consecutive win at the PGA Championship last month.
But the world number one will have to compete with 155 other golfers from Thursday — all looking to grab the 2.16 million dollar purse as he looks to match the feat of Scotland’s Willie Anderson, who won his third straight US Open title in 1905.
He is trying to block out the noise in his bid to prevail on Sunday.
“To me, majors are just other golf events — you can’t put some outside pressure on them,” Koepka said.
Among other contenders to win are Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, ranked third in the world, who is coming off a blistering seven-shot victory at the Canadian Open last week.
McIlroy’s performance in Ontario had many experts betting that the four-time major winner is back on track after a difficult spell.
“I’m playing well,” McIlroy said. “I found a little groove and I want to keep it going.”
Meanwhile, the 43-year-old Tiger Woods is hoping to add a second major victory this year after making an amazing career comeback to triumph at the Masters in April.
For Woods, history is on his side at Pebble Beach. He won the US Open in 2000 at the coastal course by a career-defining 15 strokes.
The American is also one of only six players to have won the Masters and US
Open in the same year — 2002.
The 119th US Open returns to Pebble Beach for the first time since 2010. Players are going to have to contend with the 7,075-yard course — playing as par 71 for the tournament — that abuts the Pacific Ocean in central California.
While the course is shorter than many
on the professional circuit, Pebble Beach will feature some of the smallest and most challenging greens in professional golf.
Gusty ocean winds are always a challenge too, although the weather for this year’s tournament is forecast to be mild and sunny.
Phil Mickelson, a five-time winner at Pebble Beach including a victory this year at a Pro-Am there, is also well-positioned to finally complete a career Grand
Slam.
Mickelson, who is turning 49 on Sunday, will be making his 28th start at the tournament that has long bedevilled the American.
For the bookmakers, Koepka and Dustin Johnson are the favourites to win.
Woods, McIlroy and Jordan Spieth — who is making a resurgence with three consecutive top-10 finishes — round out the top five favourites.
Koepka is teeing off at 1:47 pm (2047 GMT) on Thursday along with Italian Francesco Molinari and Norwegian Viktor Hovland, the current US Amateur champion.
Woods will tee off shortly after at 2:09 pm (2109 GMT) along with Englishman Justin Rose, ranked fourth in the world, and Spieth.
McIlroy and Mickelson tee off early at 7:51 am (1451 GMT) and 8:13 am (1513 GMT) respectively.