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Brutal Bethpage
Tiger’s opening round perfectly summed up the golf course, recording three birdies and an eagle but finishing the day on +2 courtesy of three bogeys and two doubles. Rory McIlroy was 5-over through three on Friday but recovered with five birdies to a lone bogey to sneak inside the +4 cut line. Tiger (+5) had no such luck and was forced to spend the weekend back on his $20 million yacht (ouch). Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson and Bryson DeChambeau were just some of the other big names to miss the weekend. However, 2002 Champion Rich Beem, now 48 years old, stole the headlines by making the cut despite being 9-over on the 13th tee: shooting five birdies over the last 6 holes on Friday. This came after wide-spread criticism of his decision to even turn up.
Only seven men finished the week on par or better. By close of play Sunday, a +4 score had gone from the cut line to a share of 23rd.
Killer Koepka
“I don’t know what course Brooks was playing” Jason Day said of the bogey-free 63 (7-under). The American took just four holes to reach double-figures on day 2. His first bogey came at the start of the back-nine, but that didn’t stop him breaking the 36-hole Major record at -12.
Entering the final round, all the talk was about the potential for a record Major margin of victory as Koepka lead by seven. Despite a bogey on the first, the defending Champ was -1 for the day and -13 for the tournament after 10 holes, making Dustin Johnson’s 3-under front-nine fairly redundant. But then the wheels came off. Four bogeys on the bounce brought him back to -9 as DJ’s birdie at the 15th closed the gap to just one. Koepka’s bogey on the penultimate hole would have proven costly had his friend not done the same on both 16 and 17 to finish two behind Koepka’s -8 winning score.
Best of the Rest
Jordan Spieth made it clear before the tournament that he believed his slump was over, and his -2 T3 finish proved this to be the case as he chased the career Grand Slam. Matt Wallace equalled Spieth and Patrick Cantlay to share third spot; his best finish at a Major and the best from any Brit at Bethpage (that comes despite a 3-over back-nine on Sunday), putting the Englishman at World No. 25. McIlroy did more than just make the cut in his recovery from a perilous position as he finished T8 on +1.
New York Fans
They’re loud, they’re controversial and they’ll be back. The man who left with the Wanamaker Trophy arguably faced more negative comments from New Yorkers than anybody else, particularly when “half-choking” down the stretch, but Koepka was happy with the fans making this a “real sporting event”.
The talk of the town is now the 2024 Ryder Cup at Bethpage. Whether you love or hate the raucous, beer-fuelled atmosphere, there’s no question that the Americans will have a home advantage. Matt Wallace described it as “absolutely mental”, but in fact looks forward to that. However, the likes of McIlroy and Paul Casey were not so impressed. Koepka’s sympathetic “Good luck to Europe” comment really sets the tone for what will be a fascinating and long-standing storyline.
Brooks Kopeka - What's in the Bag?
Driver - TaylorMade M5
3-Wood - TaylorMade M2
Irons - Nike Vapor Fly Pro
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7, Titleist Vokey SM4
Putter - Scotty Cameron Newport 2
Golf Ball - Titleist Pro V1x
Written by Joe Carabini
