PGA Championship: Cal Duo Goes Nowhere as Brooks Koepka Wins His 5th Major

Collin Morikawa and Max Homa were virtual spectators Sunday as Brooks Koepka won his fifth major and third third PGA Championship Wanamaker Trophy since 2018.

The two Cal alums were never a factor this week. Morikawa, who won the PGA title in 2020, was 11 strokes off the pace heading into the final round and finished in three-way tie for 26th at plus-4 after a 1-under 69 on Sunday.

Homa, whose No. 7 world ranking dipped one spot, was hoping to challenge for his first major title at Oak Hill Country Club outside Rochester, N.Y. But the 32-year-old was 13 strokes behind through three rounds and wound up in a tie for 55th at plus-9 after a final-round 2-over 72.

Koepka, who blew a Sunday lead at the Masters last month, extended his advantage to four strokes at one point in the final round of this event. Then he held off late charges from Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler. He birdied the 16th while Hovland made double-bogey to regain control and carded a 67 on Sunday to finish at 9 under, two strokes ahead of the field.

Scheffler, who fired a final-round 65, climbs to No. 1 in the new official world golf rankings.

"Yeah, this is probably the sweetest one of them all because all the hard work that went into this one, this one is definitely special,” said Koepka, who became the first golfer from Saudi-based LIV tour to win a major. “This one is probably it for me.”

Koepka earned $3.15 million for the victory.

Hovland and world No. 2 Scheffler wound up at minus-7 for the tournament, with Scheffler closing with a 65.

Bryson DeChambeau tied for fourth place at minus-3 and Rory McIlroy shared seventh place at 2 under.

Michael Block, a 46-year-old club pro from Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, California, wound up tied for 15th but made a hole-in-one on the par-3 15th hole. He shot a 71 on Sunday to finish plus-1 for the tournament after three straight even-par rounds.

Morikawa started slowly on Sunday, with bogeys on Nos. 3 and 7 to fall to plus-6. The 26-year-old, ranked 16th in the world, played better on the back nine, with birdies on 12, 14 and 15 to finish with a 1-under 69 — his first under-par round of the week.

It was a tough week for Homa, whose Sunday round included a double bogey for the third straight day. He was above par all four days.

Jon Rahm shot 71 and wound up tied for 50th at 7 over, dropping from No. 1 to No. 2 in the world rankings. Phil Mickelson finished at plus-10 and tied for 58th and Justin Thomas tied for 65th at plus-12.

Cover photo of Collin Morikawa by Corey Perrine, Florida Times Union

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo

Add us as a preferred source on Google