Brooks Koepka will wake up on Monday as the world’s best player following a dominant four-stroke victory at the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges on Jeju Island, Korea.
The three-time Major winner did not have it all his own way on Sunday after bogeys at the 2nd and 4th – sandwiched by a birdie in between – gave the field a glimpse of hope.
Gary Woodland and Ryan Palmer were the ones to take up the challenge as the former went out in 30 and Palmer rattled off seven straight birdies to close but Woodland’s 63 and Palmer’s 62 proved far from enough to deny Koepka.
Often overlooked as one of the game’s bruisers, the 28-year-old showed off his all-round game as he stormed into the clubhouse with a bogey-free 29 that included a near-ace on the 13th and an eagle to close out his second non-Major win on the PGA Tour.
Sunday’s triumph takes Koepka past Justin Rose and ultimately Dustin Johnson into top spot in the world, just reward for a year that included two Major wins and the vote of Player of the Year.
Louis Oosthuizen finished as SA’s best following a final round 69 that included birdies at the 10th, 12th and 14th without a single drop to sit in the group sharing 29th place.
