More than halfway through the 2017 Season now and the cream has risen to top. The US Open and British Open were played in June and July respectively. Here is a recap.
2017 US Open Erin Hills, Wisconsin
After starting the day one stroke off the pace, Brooks Koepka birdied his first two holes and dropped a 67 to win the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills at 16 under, tying Rory McIlroy (2011) for the lowest score relative to par in tournament history. The dominance of the final round shook up what had been a crowded leaderboard throughout the weekend, and his first-time winner status continued a streak we’ve seen in majors that dates back to Jason Day’s breakthrough at the 2015 PGA Championship.
While the top three players in the world missed the cut, Koepka showed in his U.S. Open win reasons to believe that he can join the Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy tier sooner than many expected. More than just a rising American star, Koepka has proven he’s got the potential to be a multi-time major winner for years to come.
Here’s the way the top of the leaderboard shook out on Sunday afternoon at Erin Hills, starting with your new major champion:
1. Brooks Koepka (-16): As Koepka was bounding about the second nine at Erin Hills and running away from the pack, it was eerily similar to the way Dustin Johnson worked his way around Oakmont a year ago on the way to his first major win. The challenge now will be matching the expectations that will be placed on him moving forward. Koepka is no longer a rising star; he’s a record-setting major champion.
T2. Brian Harman (-12): The tournament changed around the 12th and 13th hole as Harman ended up with bogeys while Koepka began a run of three straight birdies in the group ahead of him. As the roars began to grow, the battle of long hitter vs. tactician faded. Still, the 2017 season is already one to remember for Harman, a great ball-striking lefty who has parlayed his strong play during a win at the Wells Fargo into U.S. Open title contention. Now up near the top-10 of the FedEx Cup standings, he’ll be a name to watch when the playoffs start later this year.
T2. Hideki Matsuyama (-12): While the top three players in the world missed the cut, Matsuyama (No. 4), showed world-class stuff down the stretch. Hideki started the tournament a full nine shots behind the lead after his 74 on Thursday but proceeded to put together two stellar rounds over the next three days with his 65 on Friday and 66 on Sunday in order to push Koepka for the title.
4. Tommy Fleetwood (-11): Could this have been a career-changing week for Fleetwood? The English star is having a second revival of sorts this season, beating Johnson in Abu Dhabi in January, finishing as the runner up at the World Golf Championship in Mexico and now notching his first-ever top-10 finish in a major at Erin Hills.
T5. Rickie Fowler (-10): Even though his finish wasn’t as high as the T2 in Pinehurst in 2014, Fowler’s 2017 run through Erin Hills will probably be the one that many consider his closest shot at winning. Martin Kaymer ran away from everyone from the start of the final round in 2014, and by the time Koepka hit the gas pedal on Sunday, Fowler had already started his slide. For three rounds, Fowler was able to rebound from missed fairways and greens with his putter, and then on Sunday those birdie putts just stopped falling.
2017 British Open
Here is a recap of the final round of the British Open, played at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England:
WINNER: This was really a surreal finish, here’s the best we can do to normalize it…
Jordan Spieth battled Matt Kuchar, the elements and himself Sunday and overcame them all to win The 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Spieth, who turns 24 in four days, captured his third major championship at 12 under. He and Kuchar were tied at eight under after 12 holes. Then No. 13 proved to be both unlucky and miraculous for the eventual winner. Spieth launched a disastrous tee shot on that soared way, way right over a nearby hill. Once his ball was indeed found in the deep, deep rough, Spieth took an unplayable lie and figured out line-of-sight relief with officials for his one-shot penalty drop for several more minutes as he searched everywhere for drop locations. It ended with Spieth taking a drop on the driving range. Somehow, Spieth got his third shot just short of the green. Spieth then played the next four holes in five under to take the lead for good and all-but-vanquish Kuchar. That history-making run was highlighted by a 50-foot eagle putt on No. 15. Spieth carried a three-shot lead into the final round but carded three bogeys in the first four holes. Spieth also won the 2015 Masters and PGA Championship. Spieth joined Jack Nicklaus in winning three majors before the age of 24.
JUST MISSED:
We’re glad Kuchar is so jovial, because this is a tough one to take. The 39-year-old had to feel so good when Spieth was searching for a drop at No. 13 for what felt like three hours. Kuchar did indeed take a one-shot lead after that hole, but it could’ve been more. And he played 1 under golf after that, but, unbelievably, it wasn’t even close to enough. Kuchar bogeyed 18 to settle for a 1-under 69, a 9-under 271 and second place by three shots. A great week for Kuchar, who can still win a major one day.
SHOT OF THE DAY: Uhh… where do we start here? You could put so many on this list for Spieth. We’ll go with the bomb he made for eagle at 15. It earned Spieth the outright lead, which he never relinquished.
QUOTABLE: “This is a dream come true for me.” – Jordan Spieth
SHORT SHOTS: Haotong Li shoots a 63 – the 32nd in major championship history – to post solo third at 6 under. He started the day T-29 and for about 10 minutes appeared to have a chance at a playoff. … Rory McIlroy eagles 17 to close out a 3-under 67. He finishes T-4 at 5 under. Not what he wanted but remarkable considering he was 5 over through six holes in this tournament. … Matthew Southgate, a cancer survivor, jumps 23 spots to a tie for sixth at 4 under thanks to a 65. … Brooks Koepka finishes in a tie for sixth, too, after a 1-over 71. … Henrik Stenson closes in 70 to post in a tie for 11th at 3 under in his title defense. … Ian Poulter finishes a strong week in a tie for 14th at 2 under. … Aaron Baddeley closes in 64 to rocket to a tie for 27th. … Rickie Fowler (T-22, even par), Jason Day (T-27, 1 over) and Dustin Johnson (T-54, 4 over) all finish well out of contention. … Alfie Plant, the low amateur, finishes T-62 at 6 over.
The 2017 PGA Championship:
This is the 99th PGA Championship that takes place from August 10–13 at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. A regular stop on the PGA Tour, this will be the first major at Quail Hollow. This will be the second to last PGA Championship held in August. Beginning in 2019 the tournament will be held in May. A field of 156 players will tackle Quail Hollow Club, which is hosting the season’s final major for the first time. Jimmy Walker won this event last year by one shot over Jason Day. Here are 10 names to watch in Charlotte:
1. Rory McIlroy: Given the choice between two clear favorites, I’ll side with the Quail Hollow specialist. McIlroy has won twice here and lost in a playoff among six starts, and he has had this week circled since it was first announced years ago. Top-5 finishes at both Royal Birkdale and Firestone show that his game may be peaking just in time to save his season.
2. Jordan Spieth: Spieth hasn’t played Quail since 2013, and the course has undergone significant changes since. But you can’t deny the heater he’s currently on, as Spieth continues to ride the momentum from his dramatic Open victory. The Grand Slam pressure will ratchet up if he’s still in contention come the weekend, but it’s a spotlight he’s handled before.
3. Hideki Matsuyama: The Japanese sensation put on a clinic during the final round in Akron, tying the course record and routing the field with a seemingly effortless 61. Matsuyama played Quail Hollow three straight years from 2014-16, improving his finish each time including a T-11 result last year.
4. Rickie Fowler: Fowler and Matsuyama are the top candidates for best player without a major, a title Fowler nearly shed at the PGA three years ago. He’s had a rock-solid season in 2017, highlighted by his win at the Honda Classic and including five top-10 finishes in his last seven worldwide starts.
5. Dustin Johnson: The world No. 1 hasn’t been quite the same player since his back injury at the Masters, but he certainly has the tools to take advantage of a soggy layout this week in Charlotte. Johnson notched a top-10 finish two weeks ago in Canada, and while he hasn’t played Quail Hollow since a missed cut in 2011 he still leads the Tour in total strokes gained.
6. Brooks Koepka: The U.S. Open champ has quietly compiled a stellar run of finishes in majors, finishing T-21 or better in each of his last nine major starts. That includes a T-6 finish at Royal Birkdale in his first start since Erin Hills, and Koepka will now make his Quail Hollow debut after cracking the top 5 in the PGA each of the last two years.
7. Jason Day: The former world No. 1 has been a shell of his former self this year, but he tends to bring his best to the season’s final major. Day broke through to win two years ago at Whistling Straits and nearly pulled off the double last year, when he was a runner-up at Baltusrol. He tied for ninth in 2012 in his most recent visit to Quail Hollow.
8. Phil Mickelson: Mickelson hasn’t won anywhere since lifting the claret jug more than four years ago, but he has a history of feasting on Quail Hollow. The southpaw has finished T-5 or better six times here since 2007, and while that stretch does not include a win it shows that even at age 47 he’s a likely contender this week.
9. Charley Hoffman: Hoffman contended into the final round of the Masters, and in recent weeks he has been playing some of the best golf of anyone not named Spieth. Hoffman’s playoff loss in Canada highlights a run of four top-10 finishes in his last six starts, a stretch that has vaulted him into the mix for the Presidents Cup and should continue this week.
10. Jon Rahm: The Spaniard has cooled somewhat since his decisive victory at the Irish Open, but the potential remains for him to break through once again on a big stage. He’s one of several big names making their debut this week at Quail Hollow, but Rahm leads the Tour in strokes gained off the tee and sits third in total strokes gained this season.
This should be a great event and I look for a great battle down to the last hole.
The 2017 Presidents Cup:
This is an upcoming Presidents Cup golf competition, to be played at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey, from September 28 to October 1, 2017. Steve Stricker and Nick Price will captain the U.S. and International teams, respectively. The United States team is the 6 time defending champions,
having defeated the International team in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015. The first two days consist of five matches of fourball and five matches of foursomes. The third day consists of four matches of fourball and four matches of foursomes. The host team captain will decide the order, fourball vs. foursomes, on the first three days. On the fourth and final day, twelve singles matches will be played. Thirty matches will be played in all. All matches that are all-square after 18 holes will score ½ point for each team. Both teams have 12 players. The United States Team will feature the 10 players who earn the most official FedExCup points from the 2015 BMW Championship through to the 2017 Deutsche Bank Championship, with points earned in the calendar year 2017 counting double, and two captain’s picks. The International Team will feature the top 10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking at the conclusion of the 2017 Deutsche Bank Championship and two captain’s picks. Steve Stricker will captain the U.S. team, and Nick Price will captain the International team. Fred Couples, Davis Love III, Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk will be captain’s assistant for the U.S. team, and Ernie Els, Tony Johnstone, Geoff Ogilvy and Mike Weir will be captain’s assistant for the International team. This is a very special event and there is a lot of Country pride riding on this one. I will be back next month to update you on the latest news and all the Presidents Cups picks !