Brooks Koepka overcomes illness to win first WGC

Brooks Koepka now has a World Golf Championship to add to his four major victories.

Despite being under the weather and arriving at the course only 45 minutes before his scheduled tee time, the world No.1 closed with a 65 to win the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind in Memphis.

It gives the 29-year-old his seventh PGA Tour win and consolidates his place at the top of the Official World Golf Ranking. It also means that he leads the PGA Tour going into the first of the FedEx Cup Playoff events in just over a week’s time.

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“To look at what I’ve done this year, I’ve just tried show consistency, tried to take my game I guess to a new level and I’ve done that,” said Koepka. “To be up there in the FedEx Cup with a chance in Atlanta, that’s incredible.  It just shows the consistency all year.”

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Koepka was visibly struggling with a cold for much of the week but refused to let that derail his latest title charge.

“It doesn’t affect me hitting a golf ball,” he said. “I mean, I don’t feel good.  I haven’t felt good all week but I’m not trying to complain. I just get on with it. People go to work sick all the time.”

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On the subject of his late arrival to the course on Sunday, he added: “I always take less time on Sunday. I’m already loose when I get to the golf course. I don’t even need to hit balls. I’ve already stretched, I’ve already done everything. I played for three straight days, it’s hot, I don’t feel that great, so I’m not going to go out there and waste my energy on the range when I can do it on the course.”

Koepka also outscored his playing partner in the final group, Rory McIlroy, by six shots as their final round match-up failed to materialise into the duel many had anticipated.

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Afterwards, McIlroy reportedly declined to speak to the media but Koepka was full of praise for the Northern Irishman.

“It would have been incredible if it would have been us going down 18 and somebody having to make a putt on the last,” he added. “Rory didn’t play the way he wanted to today, but still it’s so much fun to watch him play. You kind of get glued watching him hit balls. It’s mesmerising watching him hit. It’s always nice to squeak out a victory over probably the best player right now.”