Brooks Koepka eagled the 72nd hole Sunday to cap off a final-round 64, win the CJ Cup and supplant Dustin Johnson as the new No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Here’s how Koepka took over the golf world Sunday in South Korea.
Leaderboard: Koepka (-21), Gary Woodland (-17), Ryan Palmer (-15), Rafa Cabrera Bello (-15), Jason Day (-12), Scott Piercy (-12)
What it means: This is Koepka’s fifth career PGA Tour victory but only his second in a non-major, following his maiden win back at the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open. Up four to start the day, Koepka saw his lead evaporate as Woodland rocketed up the leaderboard and kept pace with him for much of the back nine. But every time Sunday’s result appeared in doubt, Koepka reclaimed his lead in dramatic fashion. He nearly aced the par-3 13th to go ahead by two and later holed out for birdie at the par-4 16th to go up three with two to play. He finished par-eagle at 17 and 18 to shoot a back-nine 29 and close out his third victory in the last five months. With the win, Koepka ascends to the No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in his career.
Round of the day: Ryan Palmer set a Nine Bridges course record when he birdied his final seven holes in a row en route to a bogey-free round of 10-under 62 and a solo third-place finish.
Best of the rest: Woodland played his first 16 holes in 9 under par to storm from five back and catch Koepka atop the leaderboard. But his furious Sunday charge finally came to an end when he failed to get up and down for par from the back bunker at 17. He carded his 11th birdie of the round at the 18th hole to sign for 63 and finish solo second.
Biggest disappointment: In retrospect, Woodland called it correctly on Saturday when he said: “You obviously want to get off to a good start and put pressure on him as soon as you can. You know, Brooks doesn’t seem like he cares too much, and he’s playing so good, so you’re going to have to go out and post a number.” Woodland put as much pressure on Koepka as he could. He went out and posted that number. Koepka never blinked.
Shot of the day: Koepka’s holeout at the par-3 16th, which put him ahead by three, unofficially ending the proceedings:
MIC DROP. @BKoepka holes it!#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/baP7yIT9qy
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 21, 2018
Quote of the day: “To be world No. 1 is something I dreamed of as a kid. I don’t think this one is going to sink in.” – Koepka
Source: Internet
