Brooks Koepka is the best player in the world, today, right now.
He looked every bit of that last season, winning two of the three majors he played.
With this mad talent of his, it appears to be just a matter of him WANTING to outplay everyone else.
Apparently that may now be his total mindset.
We offer up his late-night/early Sunday morning performance on the other side of the world on a volcanic island now the site of the Nine Bridges Resort off the coast of South Korea.
It was there that Koepka held a four-shot lead heading into the final 18 at the CJ Cup, a filthy rich event with $1.7 million or so for the winner thanks to those crazy-rich South Korean developers that own CJ.
Well CJ was thrilled to have BK there and there were a whole bunch of amazed South Korean spectators who couldn’t stop oooooing and ahhhhing over Koepka’s massive tee shots, his laser-like iron shots and his really, really good putting touch.
Thanks to rounds of 71-65-67 — he was 13-under through 54 holes. If you’re wondering about that 71, well, the first day it was really, really chilly with winds blowing 20-25 all day. No really low scores on this manicured course that is basically designed to yield low scores to the likes of a three-time major champion like Koepka.
Which brings us back to the final 18 and Koepka’s big to close out another win and, in the process, claim the No. 1 ranking in the world of golf.
Things looked pretty ho-hum for most of his front nine thanks to a not-so-exciting 35 — a measly one-under par on the nine where up ahead of Koepka, Gary Woodland shot 30 and was bringing the heat with birdie after birdie, erasing BK’s four-shot lead to pull even.
There must have been a phone booth somewhere between nine green and 10 tee. After a three-putt par five at nine, Clark Kent ducked in somewhere and changed into Superman, or in this case, the Brooks Koepka that won the U.S. Open and PGA last season.
Brooks drained one from 20 feet at the 10th then made easy birdie at the par five 12th then nearly made hole-in-one at the par three 13th. Just like that he’s 17-under, pushing back hard on Woodland who was pushing Koepka as hard as he could. Koepka drained another from 17 feet at 15 then broke Woodland’s back at the par four 16th. He found a fairway bunker there, hit his worst approach of the back nine, missed the green and from the rough, simply pitched it in for birdie. Huge roars as he got to 19-under and up ahead Woodland made his second bogey of the day.
Just for fun, Koepka ripped a huge drive that cut the corner on the par five 18th, smoothed a nine-iron from 160 then rolled in an eagle putt from 18 feet. Thank-you, 21-under, winner by four.
“I tried,” Woodland told whoever would listen as he left the 18th a group ahead of Koepka. Damn right he tried. How about 11 birdies and a closing 63 that didn’t phase Brooks in the least, who does watch scoreboards.
Talk about making a run — at least Woodland finished solo second. Ryan Palmer’s 62 got him a piece of third with Rafa-Cabrera Bello.
They were all overshadowed by Koepka’s back nine of 29. Yes, 29 for 64.
Any doubt that this guy is a supreme closer?
He has no doubts.
“I’m not gonna panic if things don’t go my way — everyone knows that,” said Koepka, talking about his start. “Every time I tee it up, I feel like I can win — even if I don’t have my ‘A’ game. I’m so excited right now — you have no idea!”
Well, Brooks, yes we do. After watching you shoot that 29, there’s little doubt who’s No. 1 in the world.
Oh, there’s more bad news for the rest of the guys out there on tour.
“It’s a battle every day,” he said. “I just gotta keep building on what I’ve done — just keep doing what I’m doing. Win more tournaments and keep adding majors.”
Get the idea?
