Brooks Koepka lost for words after winning fifth major at PGA Championship

American recovers from injury and loss of confidence to triumph at Oak Hill Country Club

Brooks Koepka celebrates with the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club. Getty

Brooks Koepka was lost for words after completing a remarkable return to the pinnacle of golf by winning his fifth major at the PGA Championship on Sunday.

At Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York, the 33-year-old American captured his third PGA Championship, firing a three-under par 67 in the final round to finish 72 holes on nine-under 271.

"This is probably the sweetest one of them all because all the hard work that went into it," Koepka said. "This one is definitely special."

Norway's 11th-ranked Victor Hovland, chasing his first major title, and American Scottie Scheffler, last year's Masters winner and the new world No 1, shared second on 273 on seven-under.

Koepka's victory was a throwback to the two-year spell when he emerged as the world's most dominant golfer at the majors. After winning his maiden major at the 2017 US Open, the former world No 1 successfully defended his title the following year while also going back-to-back at the PGA Championship in 2018 and 2019, when he also finished tied-second at the Masters and tied-fourth at the Open Championship.

However, since then Koepka has struggled with injury and a subsequent loss of form and confidence, which was well documented in Netflix's Full Swing series.

"I look back at where we were two years ago," Koepka said. "I'm so happy right now. I'm at a loss for words. But this is the coolest thing.

"It's incredible. I'm not sure I even dreamed when I was a kid I would win this many."

Koepka's victory is also a major breakthrough for the LIV Golf Series. The American was one of six major winners from LIV in the field of 156 with a combined 15 major crowns, none of them won since joining the upstart circuit.

"We haven't forgot how to play golf," said reigning Open champion Cam Smith, who finished tied-ninth at Oak Hill. "We're all great golfers out there."

Koepka led entering the final round at last month's Masters but, in his words, "choked" away the green jacket, finishing second to Spain's Jon Rahm but taking lessons in mental attitude.

"I definitely wouldn't have won today if that didn't happen," Koepka said.

In the closing drama, Hovland was undone by a 9-iron from a fairway bunker at 16, where he embedded his ball into the bunker wall and went on to make double bogey.

Koepka sank a birdie putt at 16 from just inside five feet to reach 10-under and lead by four.

"I thought I handled myself pretty well," Hovland said. "Pretty unfortunate on 16 but I don't feel like I gave it away. Brooks deserved to win. He hit a lot of great putts and a lot of great shots."

Scheffler birdied 18 and Koepka took bogey at 17 to lead by two at the 18th hole. He dropped his approach inside 10 feet and two-putted for victory.

"I put up a good fight. I played great today," Scheffler said. "I gave the guys on top of the leaderboard something to think about.

"But Brooks just played some fantastic golf this week. He played too good this weekend for me to catch up to him."

Australia's Cam Davis and American Kurt Kitayama shared fourth on 277 with another LIV player, American Bryson DeChambeau.

Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy shared seventh on 278 with Austrian Sepp Straka.

US club professional Michael Block aced the 151-yard par-3 15th on the fly with a 7-iron and was cheered all the way along his walk to the hole. It was the first hole-in-one by a club pro in the PGA since 1999.

Block shot 71 to share 15th on 281, earning a spot in next year's PGA field.