Koepka Wins U.S. Open Again

Last updated on: June 17, 2018 at 7:42 pm by Kermit Zarley

Koepka Wins U.S. Open Again 2018-06-17T19:42:07-07:00 Kermit Zarley

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Brooks Koepka won his second successive U.S. Open title today. He bogeyed the last hole to shoot 68 and still win by one stroke over Tommy Fleetwood. He was an early finisher in the clubhouse with a U.S. Open record-tying 63 today for a four-round total of 282, two over par. In the modern era, Koepka’s successive U.S. Open titles tied Curtis Strange (1988-1989 and Ben Hogan (1950-1951). Long-haired Fleetwood missed setting a new record with a 62 by missing a ten-foot birdie putt on his last hole that would have tied him with Koepka.

Koepka started the day in a four-way tie for 1st place at three over par for the previous three rounds. He was playing in the next to last twosome with his workout mate Dustin Johnson, who had led by four strokes after two rounds. Johnson won this tournament two years ago, and, of course, Koepka was defending champion. Koepka got to two under par today, thus one over par for the tournament. He maintained that position or even par for the tournament much of the back nine, thus leading the tournament.

Like yesterday, #1 player in the world Dustin Johnson couldn’t buy a putt. For the two days he had six three-putt greens. He must have used up all of his good putting during his first two rounds.

Current Masters champ Patrick Reed got a hot start toward getting a second leg of the coveted and illusive Grand Slam (winning four majors in the same year, which has never been done). He birdied the first three holes and was five under par after seven holes on today’s round. But he faltered on the back nine.

The determining factor in Koepka’s win today was that during the treacherous 11th through 14th holes, three times he got the ball up-and-down (two strokes) from difficult spots near the greens by making sizable one-putts. Still, a TV commentator said Brooks Koepka’s tournament stats this week showed he was first in driving distance and accuracy plus he was second in greens-in-regulation. The cream has been coming to the top in the U.S. Open.

My long-shot pick was friendly, tall, and skinny Tony Finau, who has won only one tournament on the PGA Tour. In his stance, he stands so close to the ball that the only time you stand closer than that is in dancing. After shooting a 66 yesterday to tie for the lead, he had five birdies today but double bogeyed the last hole. That hurt his paycheck big time.

The low finishers were as follows: Koepka +1, Fleetwood +2, Johnson +3, Reed +4, and Finau +5.

Yesterday, I blogged about Phil Mickelson’s Meltdown on the 13th green yesterday. He putted his ball and then ran over and hit the ball while it was running off the green. That is a two stroke penalty for hitting a moving ball. But there was a question about whether or not he should have been disqualified. He obviously did it because he was frustrated with U.S.G.A. officials regarding some of the pin placements. After much criticism about this course setup from some players, at the end of the day the officials admitted that they had made a “mulligan,” meaning they should have done better, yet that is not really the right meaning of that word.

It was an exciting tournament. Brooks Koepka is becoming a superstar golfer. In both of his U.S. Open wins, he played some magnificent golf down the stretch, meaning the back nine on Sunday. Keopka plays golf like he’s got no nerves whatsoever, like a robot. Yet he’s having fun doing it. “Pretty amazing stuff” as Johnny Miller would say.

Golf

Brooks Koepka

U.S. Open Golf Championship

Previous Post

June 17, 2018

Sessions on Romans 13

Next Post

June 19, 2018 Is Trump Making America Great Again?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Angels Billy Graham Blog Description Book Reviews Christian Living Christianity Christology Church History Current Events Deity of Christ? Disarmament Eschatology Evangelicalism Ezekiel 38-39 Film Reviews God Golf Gospel Harmonization Health History Holy Spirit Incarnation? Interview Islam Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Jesus Last Empire Literary Announcements Major Championship Winners Masters Monotheism My Books New Testament Old Testament Politics Primitive Weapons Ryder Cup Science Society of Biblical Literature The Bible The Restitution of Jesus Christ Trinitarianism Trinity? Uncategorized Unconditional Love? War on Terrorism

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What animal spoke to Balaam?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A dove A lamb A lion A donkey

Books by This Author Books by Kermit Zarley Blog

See All Titles »