US Open at a glance

Arnold Palmer won his first at 28. But Brooks played so well today. He did what he had to do.

With strong winds buffeting the 7,721-yard layout at Erin Hills earlier in the day, Mother Nature had appeared poised to bite back after three days of benign conditions which led to a feast of low-scoring.

Koepka was subdued when he sank the winning putt, giving only half-hearted fist bump.

His sister, Callie, served as his caddie at Erin Hills.

A changing of golf’s old guard has been underway for some time but the 117th U.S. Open signalled that it can be considered complete with neither Phil Mickelson and/or Tiger Woods teeing up at major for the first time since the 1994 U.S. Masters.

Matsuyama shot a six under for the day with eight birdies and two bogeys. That’s a hallmark of golfing intelligence.

“With all his peers winning that were younger than him, 27’s not that old, but he thinks he should be winning every week”, Elliott said, per the New York Times’ Karen Crouse.

He experienced his first taste of big-time, under-the-spotlight golf a year ago at the Ryder Cup, and played his fifth U.S. Open like it was his 15th. And since there’s a streak of seven first-timers winning the last seven majors, why couldn’t he be next? Well, hobby’s not really the right word.

His confidence in the final round came, in part, from a short conversation the night before with Dustin Johnson, a friend who had been through his share of close calls and heartbreaks before finally becoming a major champion at the U.S. Open previous year.

Koepka carded a closing 67 at a windswept Erin Hills to finish 16 under par, matching the tournament scoring record set by Rory McIlroy at Congressional in 2011.

It all came together this week for the talented Koepka, who said he practiced patience and it paid off.

“It was fun to … be able to score, because typically at a U.S. Open, you get your head beat in”, American Rickie Fowler said. Coming up the 18th fairway, he had built a four-shot lead.

But the turning point in a gripping war of nerves came just after the turn when Harman struggled through back-to-back bogeys on the 12th and 13th.

Fowler did birdie that first hole but could get little going beyond that. “I played two good rounds, but it wasn’t enough”, Matsuyama said.

“I know he has a lot of European Tour friends”, Schofield added.

Nonetheless, the birdie that started the string of three straight did wonders for Koepka’s confidence.

He did it. Now, his journey includes a victory in Wisconsin – in the U.S. Open, no less. Often, going into an Open, the course-the venue-is the biggest conversation piece.

Tommy Fleetwood, the 26-year-old Brit who was paired with victor Koepka, finished 11-under after shooting a final-round 72, said he learned immensely from his U.S. Open experience. This year was not like that. A year on we were playing late on a Sunday in a major, so that’s a nice way to cap it off.

World number one Dustin Johnson, second-ranked Rory McIlroy and Australian world number three Jason Day all missed the cut. The course was proof that the game really is bifurcated. You’re here to play golf for 18 holes. “The USGA always treats amateurs and their champions really well”. The traditional definition of a U.S. Open-tight and nerve-wracking-was nonexistent at Erin Hills.

“I mean there’s probably not that much that’s that interesting to be honest”, he smiled. He could not have done this at Merion in 2013 or Merion in 1950.

“That’s probably one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced and to do it on Father’s Day, it’s pretty neat”, Koepka said after his round.