SINGAPORE RECAP: KOEPKA CLAIMS RECORD FOURTH INDIVIDUAL TITLE
It was a smashing success for Brooks Koepka and his team in Singapore. That’s what happens when history is made.
The Smash Golf Club captain became the first player in LIV Golf history to earn four individual titles, the latest coming this week at Sentosa Golf Club at LIV Golf Singapore where Koepka dominated the weekend and was back to his form as one of the game’s elite players. And the timing couldn’t have been better. The five-time major champion is in top form as the PGA Championship at Valhalla approaches in two weeks.
“I feel a lot better than I did last week,” the three-time PGA Champion said, referencing his T-9 finish at LIV Golf Adelaide. “It was rounding the corner for me. I felt like the results weren't there. It was improving but the results weren't there. It's nice to see some results and the hard work paying off.”
Koepka was on point from the start in Singapore. He opened with a 5-under 66 and backed it up with a stellar 7-under 64 on Saturday to claim the solo lead. In his previous three LIV Golf victories, Koepka held the lead entering the final round and went on to win. That trend continued Sunday when he fired a 3-under 68 under tougher scoring conditions to win by two shots over Ripper Golf Club’s Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman.
With so many top players chasing late, Koepka was keeping a close eye on the leaderboard.
“I watch it all the time,” said Koepka, who jumped to sixth in the season-long individual standings. “To me it doesn't make any difference. I'm still doing what I've got to do or focusing on what I need to focus on. … If somebody goes out and beats me, I have no problem with losing if I get flat-out beat. That doesn't bug me. Just kind of using it for last-second prep for the PGA.”
Making it especially special was having his wife Jena and young son Crew onsite taking it all in.
“It's awesome,” Koepka said. “It's such a cool feeling. It's great to have them here. I finished better than 40th or 45th, like the last few times he's been there. At least he got to see me do something a little better than that.”
Smash GC will exit Singapore with plenty of positives. Despite finishing off the podium in fourth place, the team was firmly in the mix Sunday. Smash GC finished just one shot out of third place and just three shots behind the winning team of Ripper GC. The team, which won in Las Vegas earlier this season, moved to sixth in the season-long standings.
Talor Gooch, the reigning season-long Individual Champion, was at his best on the weekend and finished fourth. He went a combined 9 under on Saturday and Sunday, and now stands eighth in the standings.
Teammates Graeme McDowell and Jason Kokrak weren’t at their best in Singapore, but they contributed nicely in key spots, especially in Round 1 when they both finished under par.
But the story following Sunday was Koepka’s history-making win and him peaking at the right time as the season’s second major championship nears.
“Winning always helps, but I still have the same expectations every time I go tee it up and that's to win,” Koepka said. “Those are my expectations, what I want to do. One result doesn't mean anything really in the scheme of things. For two weeks, a lot can change. Yeah, it does help, but at the same time, I've seen guys miss cuts and then go win and then win and then not compete the week after. It's all ebbs and flows.”