Another major championship, another leaderboard with Brooks Koepka near the top. When the heat is at its hottest, Koepka’s senses sharpen, his game shines and his stats improve. He did it again Thursday in the first round of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines’ South Course, opening with a 2-under 69 to jump into a tie for fourth place as the afternoon wave teed off.
Koepka’s PGA Tour victories total reflects his improved focus in majors. He has won eight times on the PGA Tour, and four of those have been majors: The 2017 and ’18 U.S. Opens, and the 2018 and ’19 PGA Championships.
“I love it when it’s difficult. I think that’s why I do so well in the majors,” Koepka said at the recent PGA Championship, in which he finished tied for second behind Phil Mickelson at Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course. “I just know mentally I can grind it out.”
But how does he put himself into contention so frequently in the tournaments that matter most on what typically are some of the toughest courses the pros face all year? Simply put, Koepka drives the ball farther and more accurately, hits more greens and putts better with the big trophies on the line.
Take a look at his stats (as provided on PGATour.com) in four key categories, comparing his major victories to his yearly averages. And yes, of course it could be expected that his stats would be best in the tournaments he wins. What would not be expected is that anyone would so consistently perform best in the toughest tournaments.