Brooks Koepka promised the final round of the US PGA will be “completely different” from the Masters as he bids to become the first LIV Golf star to win a Major.
The American had a two-shot lead after 54 holes in Augusta before a closing 75 saw him finish four shots behind winner Jon Rahm. Yesterday a brilliant third round 66 in the Rocheter rain gave the four-time Major winner a one-stroke lead from Norway’s Viktor Hovland and Corey Conners of Canada.
Fellow LIV star Bryson DeChambeau - who was booed on the first tee on Saturday - is only three shots off the lead in fourth place. Koepka revealed in his pre-tournament press conference that he did not sleep the night after “choking” at Augusta.
Asked how the final round will be different at Oak Hill, Koepka said: “I can’t give away all my secrets. I know what I did and I promise I won’t show up again like that. I won’t have that thought process. It will be completely different. It was kinda irritating. I will never do it again.”
Koepka has won two US Opens and two US PGA titles, the last also in New York State at Bethpage Black in 2019 before his serious knee injury and joining LIV. The East Course at Oak Hill was made even harder in the third round with torrential rain throughout the day but he has now shot consecutive 66s.
“I like it when it is tough,” he said. “Today was super tough. It was hot for a minute. It was cold. Wind, rain, pretty much everything. It was a difficult day. I will take four-under.”
The last seven Majors have been won by players in their 20s while Koepka is 32. Rory McIlroy, 34, claimed he is still in contention for his third US PGA title when he starts today’s final round five shots off the lead despite still struggling with his game.
McIlroy, who wore his baseball cap backwards to keep the rain out of his eyes, carded five birdies and four bogeys in a rollercoaster round of 69 to sit seventh: “I think I still don't feel like my game is in great shape,” said the Ulsterman. “I can play a lot better.
"I've held it together well. I've held some good putts. I've scored well. I just think my attitude has been good. My ability to just stick in there and show a little bit of grit and determination and not let rounds get away from me too much."
“It is not letting the round really get away from you. That's what I've done well this week.I'd obviously like to be a couple of shots closer to the lead, but with how I've felt this week, if you had have told me on Thursday night that I'd be going into Sunday in the top five and with a realistic chance to win this golf tournament, I would have taken it.”
McIlroy will play his final round with PGA professional Michael Block, who is tied eighth after shooting his third consecutive 70 playing with Justin Rose. The former Olympic champion, who won his only Major at the 2013 US Open, is also in the running to end his long Major drought after a day of heavy rain in Rochester.
Rose, 42, also turned his baseball cap around to keep the rain out of his eyes during his 69 which left him tied fifth with Scottie Scheffler only four shots off the lead: “It makes me feel cool,” he laughed. “Young. Hip.”
