The 2023 PGA Championship is the second major event where players from both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf competed against each other. LIV star Brooks Koepka came incredibly close to winning the 2023 Masters Tournament. He avenged himself in a big way on Sunday by taking home the PGA Championship at Oak Hill.
Koepka came into the final round of play on Sunday with a one-shot lead over Viktor Hovland. Hovland didn’t play poorly by any means, but Koepka shined in the brightest moments.
There were some very tense moments where it looked like Koepka was going to relinquish the lead. Both Hovland and Scottie Scheffler found themselves within contention on the back nine.
Viktor Hovland regains a share of the #PGAChamp lead 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Y5qNTLE1VL
— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) May 20, 2023
He had four bogeys on the day but made up for that with seven birdies, including one on the 16th hole that was ultimately the difference after Hovland made double bogey on the hole.
Viktor Hovland's second shot caught the lip of the bunker.
He made double bogey on 16. pic.twitter.com/mzE4SN6rRE
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 21, 2023
Koepka went to the final hole with a three-shot lead over Hovland and a two-shot lead over Scheffler. All he needed to do was make no worse than bogey to come away with the win. He did just that with a par on the 18th hole to secure his fifth major championship.
"He's all the way back. Koepka… conquers the PGA at Oak Hill!" ⛳️🎙️pic.twitter.com/9li7bR8SiY
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 21, 2023
It is especially a special moment for Koepka after struggles in recent years and the controversy around his decision to join LIV Golf.
He has always been known as a “big game hunter”, rising to the occasion at majors. Many around the golf world congratulated him on yet again rising to the top of the world of golf.
Brooks Koepka reportedly earned $100 million to join LIV Golf — nearly triple his career PGA Tour earnings.
Today, one year later, Koepka just became the first LIV golfer to win a major tournament. pic.twitter.com/kSQcNv4tzz
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) May 21, 2023
Brooks Koepka is an all-time great. What a unique career. Wasn't good enough to go to Florida. Cut his teeth on the Challenge Tour. Broke through late. Wins 4 majors in 3 years. Loses game, confidence. Injuries. Beefs. LIV. Blows the Masters. Now, BACK. As many majors as Seve.
— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) May 21, 2023
Brooks Koepka winning the PGA Championship after he & Phil finished 2nd at the Masters. A monumental last 6 weeks for the golf landscape. Brooks surpasses Rory in majors. A current LIV player wins a major for the 1st time. Implications are endless. What a time to be a #golf fan.
— Riggs (@RiggsBarstool) May 21, 2023
The Brooks Koepka comeback is SO sweet. pic.twitter.com/emHIJsDpIr
— claire rogers (@kclairerogers) May 21, 2023
Brooks Koepka is a major champion once again. 🏆#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/xXaedmJkBi
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) May 21, 2023
So pumped for Brooks Koepka.
From him not sure he’d win another Major again on The Full Swing doc on Netflix to winning his 3rd PGA Championship.. what a turn around.
DAWG.
— Football (@BostonConnr) May 21, 2023
This win for Koepka puts him among the elite players in the history of the game. He becomes just the third player ever to win this tournament three times.
Brooks Koepka has won his third PGA Championship. pic.twitter.com/epqcxynoat
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 21, 2023
The narrative around golf as of late has been that LIV is an inferior golf league to the PGA Tour. However, LIV’s recent success in major tournaments certainly paints a different picture. It is the second straight major tournament that multiple LIV players have finished in the top-5.
Brooks Koepka is your #PGAChampionship2023 winner!
Dechambeau – T4
Smith – T9
Reed and Pereria – T18#LIVGolf owns the PGA Championship.Jim Nantz is crying. What’s the storyline now? pic.twitter.com/nS0dSnbDsk
— LIV Golf Insider (@LIVTracking) May 21, 2023
It’s clearly a big statement that LIV Golf has some of the best players in the world, whether PGA Tour fans want to accept it or not.
