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Brooks Koepka has found himself on top of the golf world once again as he captured the 2023 PGA Championship on Sunday and redeemed himself after a final round collapse a month ago at the Masters. After dealing with injuries for a few years, the now-healthy 33-year-old fired a final round 67 (9-under par) to outlast Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler (both 7-under) to win his fifth major championship and first since 2019.
Club professional Michael Block completed arguably the Cinderella of all Cinderella golf stories by making history and qualifying for the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla.
PGA Championship Final Leaderboard
Contents
| Rank | Player | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brooks Koepka | -9 (F) |
| 2 | Scottie Scheffler | -7 (F) |
| 2 | Viktor Hovland | -7 (F) |
| T-4 | Kurt Kitayama | -3 (F) |
| T-4 | Cam Davis | -3 (F) |
| T-4 | Bryson DeChambeau | -3 (F) |
| T-7 | Rory McIlroy | -2 (F) |
| T-7 | Sepp Straka | -2 (F) |
Key moments on Sunday
Relive the final round with the memorable moments featured below.
Koepka wins his fifth major
The five-time major champion captured his third Wanamaker Trophy in six years (won back-to-back in 2018 and 2019) and trails only Jack Nicklaus (5), Walter Hagen (5) and Tiger Woods (4) for the most PGA Championship victories.
With five major wins, Koepka becomes the 20th player in history to achieve the feat and joins Seve Ballesteros, Byron Nelson, James Braid, John Henry Taylor and Peter Thomson. Just 14 players in history have collected six or more major championships.
The former Florida State Seminole became the only player to ever win three majors in the same state (New York). His last major win came at the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black in New York. He also became the first LIV golfer to win a major.
After recording an opening round of 2-over par (72) on Thursday and trailing leader Bryson DeChambeau by six strokes, Koepka shot rounds of 66, 66 and 67 to pass the other 155 golfers in the field.
“He’s all the way back. Koepka conquers the PGA at Oak Hill.”
Brooks Koepka wins the Wanamaker Trophy once again. pic.twitter.com/4C5GKkod7Q
— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) May 21, 2023
The West Palm Beach, Florida native was first statistically in strokes gained total (4.668) and in total birdies (18, tied with Adrian Meronk).
On Sunday, Koepka entered the final round with a one-stroke lead over Hovland and Conners before recording three birdies in a row from holes 2-4 putting himself in the driver’s seat. He ended with seven circles on his card including at holes 12, 14 and 16, which enabled him to end with a 2-stroke victory.
“I look back at where we were two years ago, and this is wild,” Koepka said. “To be with those groups of names (past winners) is incredible. I’m going to be honest, I didn’t even know if I dreamt it as a kid.”
Michael Block completes his Cinderella story
The 46-year-old club pro was ecstatic to be paired with Rory McIlroy entering Sunday and no one could have predicted what would unfold.
Block opened his round with a bogey on the first hole and carded the same result on the par 4-7th. A tie for 15th would earn him a trip to next year’s PGA Championship at Valhalla, and he needed to put his foot on the gas if he was to accomplish almost “the impossible.”
We are living in a simulation. This can’t be real. MICHAEL BLOCK HOLE IN ONE.pic.twitter.com/zSqpaue6DR
— Lawrence Smelser (@LawrenceSmelser) May 21, 2023
On the par 3, 15th, the club professional out of Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, California produced a moment that will forever be remembered in golf history: a hole-in-one. Block stated after the tournament it was his first-ever ace in an event.
Block’s greatest week of his life was etched in stone, but the mission of qualifying for Valhalla wasn’t yet completed. A difficult up and down out of the rough on 18 secured him a spot and completed an unforgettable performance.
You can’t make it up. Michael Block made this par putt on 18 to lock in a T15 and qualify for the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla. pic.twitter.com/r1VKzv39dA
— Lawrence Smelser (@LawrenceSmelser) May 21, 2023
By finishing tied for 15th, Block took home a check of $273, 626, the most money earned in his career at one tournament.
Michael Block this week:
– 1st ace by club pro at PGA since 1996
– Best 36 and 54 hole position by club pro since 1988
– Best finish by club pro at PGA since 1986What a performance.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) May 21, 2023
Hovland and Scheffler come close and finish second
Both players ended their rounds two strokes back of Koepka. Hovland will have to wait for his first major championship trophy as will Scheffler for his second.
Scheffler surged up the leaderboard after posting the low round of the day (65), but it wasn’t enough to catch Koepka.
The Norwegian, Hovland, battled toe-to-toe with Koepka for most of the afternoon. A double bogey on the 16th hole after plugging his shot out the fairway bunker similar to Conners the previous day, all but put an end to the 25-year-old’s chances. The former Oklahoma State Cowboy concluded with a final round-68.
The two golfers finished first (Scheffler: 3.826) and second (3.540) in strokes gained from tee-to-green for the week.
2023 PGA Championship Winnings
- 1st: $3,150,000 – Brooks Koepka
- T2: $1,540,000 – Viktor Hovland, Scottie Scheffler
- T4: $720,417 – Bryson DeChambeau, Cam Davis, Kurt Kitayama
- T7: $527,585 – Rory McIlroy, Sepp Straka
- T9: $424,620 – Cameron Smith, Patrick Cantlay, Justin Rose
- T12: $348,011 – Corey Conners, Victor Perez, Shane Lowry
- T15: $273,626 – Michael Block, Tyrrell Hatton, Eric Cole
- T18: $213,182 – Tommy Fleetwood, Mito Pereira, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Reed, Min Woo Lee
- T23: $159,091 – Ryan Fox, Alex Smalley, Matt NeSmith,
- T26: $130,455 – Collin Morikawa, Justin Suh, Hayden Buckley
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