Ties legends like Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead with three PGA titles
The hero of the week was Michael Block, whose connection with the public was absolute.
Brooks Koepka won the PGA Championship this Sunday by signing a 67-stroke cardwith a final result of -9 and two distance impacts on the Norwegian Viktor Hovland (-7) and a Scottie Scheffler (-7) who snatched the number one in the world from the Spanish jon rahm.
ANDThis is his third PGA Championshipafter those he won in 2018 and 2019, and his fifth ‘big’, since he was also proclaimed champion of the United States Open in 2017 and 2018.
Koepka, the first golfer from the controversial Saudi LIV Golf to succeed in a ‘major’, also entered the select club of twenty that have at least five ‘big ones’. He matched legends like Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead with three PGA titles. Tiger Woods with four, as well as Walter Hagen and Jack Nicklaus, are still ahead.
Koepka was greeted emotionally at the Oak Hill course in Rochester. the ‘Wanamaker trophy’: “I’m so happy right now, I’m speechless, it’s just the best. And doing it in New York, which is like a second home for me, is a special place.”
The best cards of the day were signed with 65 blows the Australians Cam Davis and Cameron Smith, the Austrian Sepp Straka and the Americans Kurt Kitayama and Scottie Scheffler.
The latter had real chances of victory. Even his last ‘birdie’ at 18 put pressure on Koepka and Hovland, who came from behind. What Scheffler does take away is being the new number one in the world thanks to second place in the tournament.
Hovland’s ‘double-bogey’ in the 16th minute, castling himself in a bunker, ended up squandering his chances of victory and gave wings to a Koepka with a very solid and regular game, who also got another ‘birdie’ on that same hole for -10 that already led the two immediate pursuers by four shots.
The phenomenon “Michael Block”
If there has been a hero this week, it has been Michael Block, instructor of the PGA in California invited to the tournament and who not only made the cut but also competed at the level of the best of the planet and was the champion among non-professionals.
He has been one of the entertainers of the tournament. His connection with the public has been total, but the great ovation was reserved for this Sunday, with an incredible hole in one in the fifteenth. The ball didn’t even bounce on the green: it fell right into the hole.
“I’m living a dream. I’m making sure I enjoy this moment. I have learned that after my 46 years of life, there is not going to be anything better than this. It’s not possible. Everyone has been wonderful, very nice to me & rdquor ;, she said.
Block finished 15th in the final draw and secures a place for the 2024 edition, but next week he will teach classes again at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, in California, where he will surely have requested all his classes, which he charges $125 for 45 minutes.
Jon Rahm loses number one
Rahm closed his last round with 71 shots, one over par for the field, for a total of +7 that was far from expectations. He had an excellent start to the day with two ‘birdies’ on his first two holes, but they penalized the three ‘bogeys’ in the second round in ten, seventeen and eighteen.
That putt that has given him so much success this season has been precisely his big problem in Oak Hill to be in a higher position. His 50th position, added to Scheffler’s second, make him lose the number one in the world.
“The good thing about this sport is that when you think you are invincible it brings you back to Earth, it reminds you that this sport is continuous work and when you think you have it is when you stumble again, it keeps you humble & rdquor;Rahm commented.
His intention to win two majors this season is delayed after Oak Hill, and puts the next big challenge in mid-June when the United States Open is held in Los Angeles.
Another Spanish, Pablo Larrazábal, finished Sunday with a card of four strokes over par, Same result as on Saturday, for a cumulative score of +12 that places him in position number 65.
The Chilean Mito Pereira closed with 67 strokes3 under par, recovered 15 positions to 18, with +2 in the overall balance.