US PGA Championship 2023: Brooks Koepka beats Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland at Oak Hill

A resurgent Brooks Koepka held off Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland to say his third US PGA Championship title at Oak Hill in New York state.

Koepka, 33, carded a three-under 67 to win his fifth main on 9 below, two photographs away from Scheffler and Hovland.

Scheffler, who returns to world primary, hit a 65 to get to seven below, whereas Hovland – who had a double bogey on the 16th – shot a two-under 68.

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy carded a 69 to finish joint seventh on two below.

There was additionally a magical second when south California membership skilled Michael Block as soon as once more illuminated the East Course with a hole-in-one at the 151-yard par-three 15th.

The 46-year-old was one in every of 20 membership professionals at the championship, however the one one to make the lower and he has delighted followers all week together with his carefree perspective.

And they erupted as soon as once more to have fun the ace, though Block was solely conscious of his feat after he requested his enjoying accomplice McIlroy, “Rory, did it go in?” earlier than the 2 shared a heat embrace.

Block’s ace is the primary at this championship since 2020 and helped him end joint 15th, which earns him an exemption for subsequent 12 months’s match at Valhalla.

However, even he couldn’t distract from a second of redemption for his fellow American Koepka, who held a four-shot lead at April’s Masters earlier than ultimately ending as runner-up to Jon Rahm.

It is the third time in 5 years that Koepka has performed a serious championship within the state of New York and come out on high.

“This is incredible,” Koepka mentioned. “I look again at the place we had been two years in the past. I’m simply so comfortable proper now, that is simply the good factor.

“I do not know what number of guys have received 5 instances, however to be with these teams of names is completely unimaginable and I’ll be trustworthy I’m not even positive I dreamed of it as a child.”

He joins greats of the sport Seve Ballesteros, Peter Thomson, Byron Nelson, John Henry Taylor and James Braid as a quintuple main winner.

It is all of the extra outstanding given it comes simply two years after Koepka underwent extensive knee surgery and following his change to the Saudi Arabian-backed LIV Golf set-up.

Koepka collects the Wanamaker Trophy and a hefty cheque of $3.15m [£2.53m]. He additionally turns into solely the sixth participant to win the Championship on three or extra events – becoming a member of Walter Hagen and Jack Nicklaus (5), Tiger Woods (4), Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead (three).

Koepka was roundly booed by followers on the primary tee on Saturday due to his involvement with LIV Golf.

However, his sustained brilliance over the third spherical and once more on Sunday ensured he obtained the adulation of the galleries as he tapped in his profitable putt.

On the the face of it his success might properly present a big increase for these advertising the Saudi-funded circuit however for an emotional Koepka, a participant whose profession was probably in jeopardy not so way back, it appeared to strike a extra private chord.

Koepka has spent latest weeks reflecting on “choking” at the Masters, pledging to not merely attempt to dangle on to a lead ever once more after faltering badly in defensive mode at Augusta National.

True to his phrase as he went on a birdie blitz throughout the second, third and fourth holes to open a four-shot lead earlier than his Norwegian enjoying accomplice, Hovland, responded.

It was an imperious opening. The final 54-hole chief at a serious to go three below or higher within the first 4 holes of a last spherical was Ian Baker-Finch on his technique to victory at the 1991 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

But Koepka noticed his lead lower to a single shot after discovering the water off the tee on the difficult sixth gap, whereas each he and Hovland dropped photographs at the seventh.

Both gamers then turned immersed in an excellent duel that in the end fizzled out on the 16th gap when Hovland drilled his second shot into the face of a fairway bunker – precisely as Corey Conners had achieved in spherical three. The Norwegian was given a free drop – however in a horrendous lie within the tough – and may solely make double bogey from there.

At that stage, Scheffler, who made a late cost with 4 birdies on the again 9, appeared set to complete outright second, however Hovland rolled in a birdie putt on the final to affix the American on seven below.

It left Koepka, who had bogeyed the 17th, two putts from 15 ft to conclude a formidable victory.

With two of the world’s greatest three gamers amongst a stellar solid within the last few pairings, fireworks had been anticipated in Rochester.However, the problem from these perched slightly below Koepka – who led by one shot in a single day – largely got here from Hovland, who’s but to win one in every of males’s golf’s coveted 4 majors however has now completed inside the highest 10 in his earlier three.

Four-time main champion McIlroy, signalled his early intent with a shocking wedge shot to arrange a tap-in birdie on the primary however he bogeyed two of the following three holes in a spherical stuffed with inconsistencies earlier than signing for a 3rd consecutive 69.

England’s Justin Rose was fleetingly inside three of the lead when he birdied the primary and chipped in to save lots of par on the second.

But after making birdie on the sixth, the 2013 US Open champion noticed his problem fade with three bogeys in his subsequent 5 holes and he ultimately recorded a closing 71 to complete one below.

Rahm, who has been deposed at the highest of the world rankings, additionally concluded with a 71, leaving him properly down the sector on seven over par.

“It’s golf,” said Rahm. “When you assume ‘Oh, I bought this’ it kicks you within the mouth and it’s a must to begin over once more. It occurs to all people.”