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SPORTS Tuesday 19 June 2018

Koepka could use more wins, but his trophies are big

By DOUG FERGUSON last two rounds.
AP Golf Writer Koepka went 1 up on U.S.
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) Open trophies. Still, he was
— Brooks Koepka now has stumped when asked who
as many majors as Greg was ahead in their back-
Norman and as many PGA and-forth.
Tour victories as Pat Perez. Johnson, still only 33 but
Koepka belongs in the con- much like Norman, hasn’t
versation of elite players in cashed in at the majors as
his generation by winning much as he should have.
his second U.S. Open at Attribute that to a cold
Shinnecock Hills, a test that putter on the weekend at
asked an entirely different Shinnecock, which also
set of questions than the held him back at Augusta
U.S. Open he won last year in April.
at Erin Hills. Even so, he has 18 victo-
Rory McIlroy and Jordan ries and is the only player
Spieth are the only play- to sweep the World Golf
ers in their 20s to have won Championships, small fields
multiple majors, at least for with the best players.
now. Koepka believes Johnson
And while the 28-year-old will win another U.S. Open
Koepka is only in his fourth and said he would end his
full year on the PGA Tour, career as among the best
to see his supreme perfor- Brooks Koepka holds up the Golf Champion Trophy after winning the U.S. Open Golf Championship, to ever play. That will re-
mance at Shinnecock Hills Sunday, June 17, 2018, in Southampton, N.Y. quire more than one ad-
makes it hard to believe Associated Press ditional major, for sure,
he has only one other PGA PGA Championship to se- feels like life or death. If you Norman gets beat up for though Johnson already is
Tour title. That was three cure a spot on his first Ryder screw up, you’re gone. I just the number of majors he well ahead in the victory
years ago at the Phoenix Cup team. And then he love getting up for it and could have won, includ- count.
Open. went 3-1 in his Ryder Cup playing the best and play- ing at Shinnecock Hills in That’s the next step for Ko-
That’s likely to change. It debut at Hazeltine. ing really, really hard golf 1986, the year he had the epka, at least until the next
might have to for Koepka He really is a major player. courses.” 54-hole lead at all four ma- major.
to get the recognition he So what about all the other Shinnecock went from ri- jors. The Shark also had 75 Before earning his PGA Tour
deserves, even if that’s not tournaments he’s played? diculously hard on Satur- victories around the world card, Koepka won the Turk-
what drives him. Koepka touched on that day to overly gentle on and was No. 1 longer than ish Airlines Open against a
His record should get any- last summer at the Bridge- Sunday, though the ulti- any other player until Tiger strong European Tour field
one’s attention. stone Invitational when he mate measure was Koepka Woods came along. that included Henrik Sten-
Koepka has finished among said the majors are where “I playing the final 36 holes in Sunday at Shinnecock be- son, Sergio Garcia, Bran-
the top 15 in nine of his past feel like I’m going to shine.” even par to win. He finished gan with a four-way tie for den Grace and Ian Poulter.
10 majors starting with the “Unfortunately, I haven’t at 1-over 281, the first time the lead, with the past two Late last year, he registered
2015 British Open at St. An- done it as much in regular in five years that no one U.S. Open champions — a nine-shot victory in the
drews. The exception was tour events or throughout broke par at the U.S. Open. Koepka and Dustin Johnson Dunlop Phoenix, one of the
the Masters two years ago, my career,” Koepka said. The USGA doesn’t like to — playing in the penulti- strongest Japan Golf Tour
when he tied for 21st. He “It’s just being a little bit talk about scores, but that’s mate group. They are close events. Xander Schauffele
missed a month with an an- more focused, maybe tak- the identity of this major. friends off the course, and tied for second, with Hideki
kle injury and returned with ing it more serious, knowing And for now, majors define even worked out together Matsuyama another shot
a tie for fourth at the 2016 that every shot ... to me, it Koepka. in the morning before their behind.q

So Yeon Ryu wins Meijer LPGA Classic

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) really meaningful to me.” Ryu had six birdies and bo- I think I made a couple 64 on Saturday — to tie for
— So Yeon Ryu found her The two-time major cham- gey in the final round. good putts and I missed a fourth at 17 under with Jac-
winning touch at Blythefield pion birdied the par-5 16th “I was really calm today,” few very makeable ones, qui Concolino (66), Azaha-
Country Club and par-4 17th and parred said Ryu, set to open her too, so I guess you just have ra Munoz (68) and Angela
Ryu won the Meijer LPGA the par-4 18th to finish at NW Arkansas Champion- to make those if you really Stanford (70).
Classic on Sunday, closing 21-under 267. ship title defense Friday. want to win.” U.S. Women’s Open winner
with a 5-under 67 for a two- “I’ve been really, really “Of course I prayed like Lydia Ko shot a 67 to finish Ariya Jutanugarn shot a
stroke victory over Caroline struggling. I had a lot of thousand times, but I was third at 18 under. tournament-record 62. She
Masson. The 29-year-old crazy moments,” Ryu said. really calm. I was able to “I don’t remember this birdied five of the first seven
South Korean player has “I had some good rounds, focus on my game instead course being this easy and holes, eagled No. 8 and
six LPGA Tour victories, win- I had some really bad of think about other play- I don’t think it was easy, but added three more birdies
ning twice last year. rounds, so I couldn’t even ers.” it just shows the amount of to finish 12th at 15 under.
“I’ve been working really really finish top-10 com- Masson closed with a 70- talent that’s on our tour,” “I just like really want to go
hard with my coach and pared to any other season. foot birdie putt for a 68. Ko said, “It’s just good to out and have fun, espe-
my psychologist, trainer, So, all those reasons just “Super happy about the fin- have a great week. This is cially play with like Emily
whole my team,” Ryu said. drove me crazy.” ish today. Second place is a tournament I really love (Tubert) like one of my best
“Finally I was able to find Two strokes behind Anna great,” Masson said. “I was playing.” friends,” Jutanugarn said.
the last piece to put every- Nordqvist and Lee-Anne trying to win it today, but it Nordqvist and Pace each “And have so much fun
thing together, so it’s really, Pace entering the round, just wasn’t quite enough. shot 73 — after each had a today.”q