Brooks Koepka won the PGA Championship on Sunday (May 21), the third time he's done so in his career. It was also his fifth major win, but this one carried a lot of weight.
In between last night and his previous major win, Koepka defected to LIV Golf. That was a controversial move and many consider it an inferior tour to the PGA Tour. This is why a good showing at the Masters and the PGA was imperative. Koepka finished T2 at Augusta and won yesterday.
He's now one of the more decorated golfers of all time with his fifth major title and the last one might be the most surprising. However, if you ask Tiger Woods' former caddie, Steve Williams, Koepka's dominance is no surprise at all.
Williams said via Golf Digest:
"Once in a great while, a player comes along who hits a golf ball the way it was meant to be hit. Powerful, piercing, the perfect trajectory. Of the young players out there, one I've seen has that special ball flight: Brooks Koepka."
He added:
"Adam and I were paired with him at the Open Championship last year, and from his first tee shot on, I thought, This kid is special. Obviously he's searching to find the other parts of the puzzle, but I haven't seen a ball flight like that since Tiger, and before that, Johnny Miller."
This was long before Koepka was a household name, so the prediction aged like fine wine.
Koepka is a former world No. 1 who had 18 wins on the PGA Tour and now has crossed the five-win threshold in major tournaments. His move to LIV may be all anyone remembers, but he's doing his absolute best to remind the world that he's one of the best to do it right now.
LIV golfers cheer Brooks Koepka after historic win
One thing LIV Golf has been searching for is some way to prove legitimacy. They were hoping someone would win at the Masters to prove they're a valid league.
Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka came so close with T2 finishes. This time, Koepka didn't tie with anyone. He won, which may have finally proved his tour's talent level.
Bryson DeChambeau echoed that sentiment via ESPN:
"It validates everything we've said from the beginning: That we're competing at the highest level and we have the ability to win major championships. I really hope people can see the light now that we're trying to provide the game of golf with something new and fresh. I think at the end of the day, both sides are going to have to come together at some point. It's for the good of the game."
Cameron Smith, who won the last Open Championship, said:
"We're still out there. We haven't [forgotten] how to play golf. We're all great golfers out there, and we know what we can do, and I think that's what we're trying to do."
Smith finished ninth with a one under finish, so many LIV players had strong showings at Oak Hill.