GOLF

Brooks Koepka’s run of majors began at Erin Hills in 2017. Let's take a look back at that record-setting performance.

JR Radcliffe

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Brooks Koepka celebrates on No. 18 after winning the U.S. Open at Erin Hills on Sunday.

Brooks Koepka’s ascension toward household-name status began in June 2017 at Erin Hills at the U.S. Open – and he’s gone from a new kid on the block to one of the game's biggest names after winning the 2018 U.S. Open and now the PGA Championship on Sunday.

The latter will, perhaps ironically, probably be the most remembered of his triumphs after he held off Tiger Woods for a two-stroke victory at Bellerive Country Club in Missouri.

But Wisconsinites also will remember his 2017 performance at Erin Hills, when he won the first U.S. Open on Wisconsin soil.

Take a look back at that occasion.

He finished with a huge flourish to match a record

The (then) 27-year-old birdied three straight holes down the stretch to pull away from a crowded field, putting the wraps on a U.S. Open record for 72 holes with a 272 (16-under). That matched the mark set by Rory McIlroy at Congressional in 2011.

Koepka won a very different 2018 U.S. Open in June, finishing at 1-over par to win at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in New York, one stroke ahead of Tommy Fleetwood and two ahead of Dustin Johnson.

The scores were low at Erin Hills, but not everyone was rocking the course

Brooks Koepka putts on the 15th hole in the third round of the U.S. Open at Erin Hills Saturday.

You may recall the concern that the course played too easily – though heading into the week, there was some concern that the course would be too difficult. Kevin Na led a chorus of voices expressing concern over the difficult fescue heading into the week.

The wind Sunday also made things a challenge. Of the first 32 players on the course, only Jordan Spieth broke 70 with a round of 69.

McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and past U.S. Open champions such as Justin Rose, Graeme McDowell, Lucas Glover and Angel Cabrera all missed the cut.

He was always right in the hunt

Koepka was tied for fourth after the first day at 5-under, with Rickie Fowler taking the early lead at 7-under. By the end of business Friday, he was tied for the lead with Paul Casey, Fleetwood and Brian Harman, and he was a stroke back of Harman heading into the final round.

Harman and Hideki Matsuyama ultimately finished at 12-under, four strokes back of the victorious Koepka. Tommy Fleetwood finished fourth at 11-under, and Fowler joined two others at 10-under.

Justin Thomas, you may recall, had the individual round to remember when he shot a U.S. Open record 63, a 9-under performance that still didn’t give him the lead at the end of the third day, still one stroke back.

Koepka hit for distance and still hit the fairways

U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka hoists the trophy after the final round of the U.S. Open Golf Championship at Erin Hills.

Koepka achieved his first title with superior ball-striking. He led the field in greens in regulation at a gaudy 86.1%, and yet he also averaged an impressive 322.1 yards. He hit the longest drive of the day on the 18th hole Sunday, a 379-yard blast. And he finished fourth in fairways hit (49 of 56).

Pretty hard to top that.

Wisconsinites also fared well at the Open

Local boys made good at Erin Hills, with Madison native Steve Stricker tiying for 16th after a final-round 69 and Homestead High School graduate Jordan Niebrugge finished tied for 35th.