Golf: Brooks Koepka back on top with PGA Championship win

Brooks Koepka celebrates after winning the PGA Championship. Photo / AP

Brooks Koepka has returned to the top at the PGA Championship.

Six weeks after letting a two-shot lead slip away on the final day of The Masters, Koepka fended off challenges from Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler to win his third PGA Championship title at a sun-splashed Oak Hill.

Koepka fired a three-under-par 67 in the final round to finish at nine-under for the tournament, two clear of Hovland and a late-charging Scheffler.

The victory gave Koepka five major titles, joining the US Opens he won in 2017 and 2018 and the two PGAs he captured in 2018 and 2019.

The 33-year-old American is the 20th player to win at least five majors. He is one of six players to claim three or more PGAs, joining Jack Nicklaus (five), Walter Hagen (five) Tiger Woods (four), Gene Sarazen (three) and Sam Snead (three).

Brooks Koepka hits from the fairway. Photo / AP

Koepka, who now plays on the rebel LIV Golf tour, sealed the victory by hitting his approach shot on the par-four 16th to within 1.5 metres. He sank the ensuing birdie putt while Hovland double-bogeyed after his shot out of a fairway bunker on the same hole became plugged on the lip.

The 25-year-old Hovland was attempting to become the first Norwegian player to win a major title. Instead, he settled for his third straight top-10 finish in golf’s signature events.

Scheffler made a late charge with a final round five-under 65 but the American couldn’t completely close the gap. He’ll have to settle for returning to being the No 1 ranked player in the world.

PGA club professional Michael Block’s storybook tournament finished with a flourish. The 46-year-old aced the par-three 15th on his way to a one-over 71. That left Block at one-over for the tournament and a tie for 15th, earning him a spot in next year’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.

Kiwi Ryan Fox finished just outside of the top 20 after carding a one-over 71 in the final round to finish at three-over for the tournament.

Fox, playing his first tournament since finishing tied for 26th at The Masters, had four birdies and five bogeys on the final day, missing out by two shots on a guaranteed visit next year.

Fox’s finish was enough to earn special temporary membership for the remainder of the PGA Tour season.