Brooks Koepka wins Phoenix Open after stunning CHIP-IN EAGLE at 17

Koepka lands his first PGA Tour title in more than 18 months with a second career victory at the Phoenix Open

Matt Chivers

07 Feb 2021

Brooks Koepka wins Phoenix Open after stunning CHIP-IN EAGLE at 17

Brooks Koepka put poor recent form behind him with an incredible back-nine display to win the Waste Management Phoenix Open for the second time in his career at TPC Scottsdale.

Having missed his last three cuts on the PGA Tour, the four-time major champion made three birdies and a fantastic chip-in eagle on the back nine en route to a one-stroke victory on 19-under par.

FOR THE LEAD.@BKoepka chips in for eagle on 17 to take a two-shot lead. #AonRiskReward pic.twitter.com/tWYQx8kQsv
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 7, 2021

Jordan Spieth and Xander Schauffele began the final round on 18-under par but failed to build on their three-shot lead over the rest of the field.

Much like Koepka, James Hahn - who started the day five shots off the pace on 13-under par - shot up the leaderboard with six birdies in 10 holes to at that point take a three-shot lead into the back nine.

That cushion soon evaporated, however, as Hahn fell out of contention with bogeys at 11, 13, 15 and 17, and it left the tournament wide open for a number of players on the closing holes.

One man who took full advantage of the door being left ajar for the chasing pack was Koepka, and he would soon slam it down with a moment of magic at the par-4 17th.

Koepka began his charge on the 13th hole with three consecutive birdies, which at the time drew him level with Carlos Ortiz, who made six birdies and an eagle at the 15th to post a score of 64, setting a clubhouse target of 17-under par.

After driving his ball short right of the green at the penultimate hole, Koepka stepped in and holed his chip for eagle to propel himself to 19-under par and take full control of the tournament.

Schauffele battled on and birdied the 16th to move within one shot of Koepka with two holes to play, but his hopes were sunk when he drove into the water at the 17th en route to a bogey. He would, however, birdie the final hole to card a level-par 71 and finish in a tie for second with little-known Kyoung-Hoon Lee.

Koepka watched on as he secured his eighth PGA Tour title and his first in more than 18 months since the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational.

"I felt like I've been playing really well despite missing the last three cuts coming here," said Koepka, who closed with a 6-under 65.

"I was playing well all week, just stayed patient today, hung around, and then things just happened to go my way."

He added: "I've had some real dark moments, was in some dark places mentally, didn't know if I was ever going to be the same again.

"I was in some dark places, I'm not going to lie. I've done a lot of hard work with my team, and am proud of the work the guys have all done with me."

The victory marks Koepka's second career win at the Phoenix Open, where he clinched his maiden PGA Tour title back in 2015.

Spieth, who tied his career-low round on the PGA Tour on Saturday with a blistering 10-under 61, failed to fire for much of the final round and he would card a disappointing 1-over 71 to finish tied fourth with Ortiz (64) and US Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker, who posted a 67.

Rory McIlroy surged late with a 7-under 64 to finish 13-under par and mark his Phoenix Open debut with a tie for 13th.