Koepka does what Jack and Tiger couldn't do: win consecutive Opens

By Art Spander

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — He became a golfer by accident. Literally, a car crash when he was 10 had such a severe injury to his sinus cavity, the doctors wouldn’t let him play any contact sports. He put down the bats and picked up the clubs.

Fate and fable. Talent and courage. On Sunday, at hard and historic Shinnecock Hills, Brooks Koepka did what Jack Nicklaus never did, what Tiger Woods never did — win back-to-back U.S. Opens.

When that accomplishment last was recorded, 29 years ago, 1988-89, Curtis Strange, alluding to the great man who preceded him, quipped, “Move over, Ben,” meaning Ben Hogan, who did it in 1950-51.

And Sunday there was Strange, working for Fox-TV, asking Koepka how he managed to come back and win after starting with a 5-over-par 75 on Friday. How? Strange knew all too well.

You just keep hitting shot after shot — and, more importantly, making putt after putt.

Which, breaking from a four-way tie for first after 54 holes that included Dustin Johnson, Tony Finau and Daniel Berger, is exactly what Koepka did, a couple of those putts for pars on 12 and 13 — “Incredible saves,” said Koepka — and finishing with a one-stroke victory.

Koepka shot a 2-under 68 at Shinnecock, which USGA officials intentionally made more playable, heavily watering the greens after Saturday’s debacle. That gave Koepka a 72-hole score of 281, which if 1-over was still better than anyone else.

Englishman Tommy Fleetwood tied a U.S. Open record with a 63, making eight birdies including four in a row at 12, 13, 14 and 15 — but he couldn’t get one on any of the last three holes, which would have given him a 62 and a tie for first.

Dustin Johnson, who played almost as poorly — well, scored as poorly — over the last two days as he played well during the first two, going in order, 69-67-77-70-283, came in third. Masters champ Patrick Reed was another shot back at 284 with a 68 that had a magical start of four birdies on the first five holes and briefly raised him into a tie for the lead.

But here on the eastern end of Long Island, Koepka, 28, was the man, as he was a year ago at Erin Hills, in the woods south of Milwaukee.

A few days ago, he showed up for a pre-Open press conference and told us that although one course is smack in Middle America and the other along the Atlantic coast, there were similarities.

“The fairways were pretty wide both places,” he said. Another similarity, of course, is the champion, a 6-foot, 185-pounder who could be playing linebacker, would rather be playing shortstop and is delighted to be playing golf. 

And, after a wrist injury that forced him to miss weeks in the winter and spring, including the Masters in April, quite happy to be playing without restrictions.

“I think the first day I hit balls, everything came out exactly the way it should have,” said Koepka. “I felt like I didn’t miss three months. It was frustrating, sitting on the couch, not doing anything. I couldn’t pick up anything with my left hand. I was in a soft cast up to my elbow.”

When Koepka won the Open in 2017, there were skeptics, some contending that Erin Hills, never used for high-level competition previously, was not up to U.S. Open standards — as if he didn’t deserve the championship.

“I mean,” said Koepka, “I always feel I’m overlooked. I could care less. It doesn’t bug me. I just kind of keep doing what I’m doing.”

What he was doing a few years back was playing the European Tour, learning the game, learning himself and learning to adapt to conditions not familiar to a kid growing up in Florida. So when he hit the PGA Tour, he was ready. As his two U.S. Open victories verify.

You know what happened this week: Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth missed the cut. Phil Mickelson embarrassed himself by slapping a putt around like a hockey puck and shooting 81 (Phil had a 69 Sunday); Rickie Fowler stumbled to an 84 Saturday and shot 65 Sunday; Dustin Johnson went from four ahead on Friday to two behind on Sunday.

And Brooks Koepka won the U.S. Open for a second consecutive year.

Move over, Curtis.