ROCHESTER NY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – American Brooks Koepka dialed up seven birdies and slammed the door on playing partner Viktor Hovland to win the PGA Championship on Sunday at Oak Hill Country Club, securing his fifth career major title and the first by an active member of LIV Golf.
Koepka stuck his approach at the last hole pin-high and received an ovation as he ascended to the green. He pumped his fist and embraced his caddie after a final-round, 3-under 67, finishing at 9-under 271 for the week.
Koepka won the 2017 and 2018 U.S. Opens and the 2018 and 2019 PGA Championships and battled knee and hip injuries for some time after that. With his fifth major, he surpassed names such as Rory McIlroy and Ernie Els and tied the likes of Byron Nelson and Seve Ballesteros.
Hovland, the 25-year-old Norwegian, made a long birdie at No. 18 to tie Scottie Scheffler for second at 7-under 273. It was his best finish at a major and his third straight top-10 finish.
Trailing by one at the 16th hole, Hovland attempted to get out of a fairway bunker and his ball embedded in the face of the bunker in front of him — the same misfortune that befell Corey Conners of Canada when he led the championship Saturday evening. Hovland was given free relief but had to punch out.