Brooks Koepka beats Tommy Fleetwood to defend US Open title


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Brooks Koepka wins US Open at Shinnecock Hills after Tommy Fleetwood shoots incredible 63 to finish second. Neil Tappin has the story of a dramatic four days.
Brooks Koepka has defended his US Open title after a dramatic and, at times, farcical four days at Shinnecock Hills. The 28 year-old American began the final round in a four-way tie for the lead but started quickly with birdies on the first two holes.
This was a remarkable victory not only because he was the only man able to defend his title on a golf course that was, at times, artificially tricked up but also because a severe left wrist injury forced him to take a 15-week break from the game at the beginning of 2018. To find his form so quickly was impressive, to contend on a golf course with rough as brutally thick as this one was incredible.
Koepka’s achievement of winning back-to-back US Open’s places him in an elite club with Curtis Strange and Ben Hogan. That he won this one on a traditional old course set up to push the best golfers to the limit of their ability, and patience, makes him a worthy multiple major champion.
Whilst Brooks Koepka won the 2018 US Open, the final round belonged to Tommy Fleetwood. The Englishman, pieced together a truly stunning 63 that equalled the lowest ever score in the history of this Championship. This was a remarkable exhibition of golf, he was in the zone from beginning to end and if it wasn’t for three makeable putts that slipped by on the last three holes, it could have truly historic. Fleetwood may not have won but he is starting to look every inch the major champion in waiting. He will head to Carnoustie for the Open Championship expecting to contend.
And yet, for all the incredible golf being played, the biggest talking point of the week was the set up of the golf course. Make no mistake, Shinnecock Hills is one of the world’s great courses. However, the USGA, as they have a tendency to do at the US Open, were guilty of tricking up the golf course. On day three, there were a handful of unplayable pin placements. With the wind howling and the greens dying, great shots were not rewarded. At times, the USGA toppled the golf course over the edge, pushing it from brutal to impossible. It was a shame to see Shinnecock reduced to farcical test of luck over skill.
From the opening day, Dustin Johnson appeared the most likely winner. The world number one, arriving off the back of victory at the St Jude Classic the previous week, set the early pace. Not only is he one of the biggest hitters in the game but both his wedge play and his putting have transformed him into a consistently world class performer. At the half way stage, he was the only player under par and he led by four. And yet, when it comes to the biggest events, there still appears to be something missing. On moving day, he slipped into reverse with a seven over par 77. There was no sudden meltdown, more a gradual unravelling and despite putting together a solid final round, he was never able to exert any real pressure on Koepka.
In his current role, Neil is responsible for testing drivers and golf balls. Having been a part of the Golf Monthly team for over 15 years and playing off a handicap of 3, he has the experience to compare performance between models, brands and generations. For 2022 he thinks the main trend in drivers is: "In a word, consistency. Whilst all the brands are talking about ball speed (and the new drivers are certainly long), my biggest finding has been how much more consistent the ball flights are. Mishits don't seem to be causing the same level of drop-off or increase in the spin numbers. This means that more shots seem to be flying the way you want them to!" As far as golf balls are concerned the biggest development is in the, "three piece, non-Tour, urethane-covered section. For regular golfers, these models offer superb performance at both ends of the bag without denting your wallet quite as much as the premium Tour-played options."
Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he is now the brand's Digital Editor and covers everything from Tour player interviews to gear reviews. In his time at Golf Monthly, he has covered equipment launches that date back well over a decade. He clearly remembers the launch of the Callaway and Nike square drivers as well as the white TaylorMade driver families, such as the RocketBallz! If you take a look at the Golf Monthly YouTube channel, you'll see his equipment videos dating back over a decade! He has also conducted 'What's In The Bag' interviews with many of the game's best players like Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm. Over the years, Neil has tested a vast array of products in each category and at drastically different price-points.
Neil is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus Fairway Wood: Titleist TSi2 Hybrid: Titleist TS3 Irons (4-9): Mizuno JPX 919 Forged Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 46˚, 50˚, 54˚, 60˚ Putter: Odyssey Triple Track Ten Ball: Titleist Pro V1X
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