LIV Golf Singapore: Brooks Koepka keeps head to take title and warm up for PGA Championship defence
- American wins by two shots from Australians Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman, with 2023 winner Talor Gooch fourth
- ‘It’s all starting to come around,’ Koepka says as ‘a lot of work’ pays off at Sentosa Golf Club
Brooks Koepka fired a warning shot ahead of the defence of his PGA Championship in 10 days’ time, winning LIV Golf Singapore by two shots on Sunday.
The American carded a three-under-par 68 to finish at 15 under for the tournament, with Australians Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman tied for second, and 2023 winner Talor Gooch alone in fourth at 12 under.
Koepka began the day three shots clear of the field and, while challengers came and went, most notably in the shape of Leishman, kept his head as others lost theirs.
Leishman was at 14 under standing on the first tee, his last hole of the day, but was well right with his drive, hit a tree with his second and wound up with a bogey five.
The Australian at least had the team title to celebrate, with Ripper GC, powered by Smith’s 64 and Leishman’s 66, taking the crown for the second week running with a combined 32 under.
Fireballs and Cleeks finished in a tie for second three shots back, with the latter helped along by Kalle Samooja’s round of seven under.
“I kind of knew all year that we were going to get the ball rolling at some point,” Smith said. “I think internally that we’re the best team out here, and we’re going to be tough to beat when we all have our best stuff.”
Individually, though, the day belonged to Koepka. A three-putt bogey at the par-four ninth aside, the five-time major winner never looked in serious danger of relinquishing his lead at Sentosa Golf Club.
“It’s all starting to come around,” Koepka said. “I feel like I’ve put in a lot of work on the golf course, off the golf course, it’s been a good two weeks.
“I think when there’s more on the line, it’s more enjoyable and that actually feels like real golf. Nobody wants to be out competing on a Sunday when you’re battling for 45th. But being in contention kind of gets to be a little bit more fun, and I think what guys are used to.”
Koepka has form going into the second major of the year, not least from his win in Singapore. The 34-year-old won back-to-back US Opens in 2017 and 2018, and PGA Championships in 2018 and 2019.
Now slightly more confident in his game that he was in Adelaide two weeks go, when he finished in a tie for ninth, Koepka said he considered his mental strength to be what meant he stood out from the rest.
“I think I’m a good ball striker,” he said. “I seem to make – I’m pretty good inside eight feet I feel like. Normally when there’s a clutch putt, I feel like I do make it, but I think the big thing that kind of separates me is my ability to lock in and go someplace where I think a lot of guys can’t go.”
Volvo China Open
The storms that battered Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area on Saturday reduced the DP World Tour event to 54 holes, and Adrian Otaegui took full advantage, shooting a superb seven-under-par 65 on Sunday to come from five shots back to win the Volvo China Open and a place in the PGA Championship.
The Spaniard finished on 18-under par Hidden Grace Golf Club in Shenzhen, one stroke ahead of Italy’s Guido Migliozzi, who carded a final-round 67.
Second-round leader Sebastian Soderberg of Sweden let the title slip from his grasp with a double-bogey at the 18th when a par would have taken him into a playoff. He finished at 16-under par.
Hong Kong pair Taichi Kho and Jason Hak Shun-yat both missed the cut, with their matching one-under 71s leaving them two shots adrift.
