Koepka's 16 under total tied Rory McIlroy's record (2011, Congressional) for lowest score in relation to par at a U.S. Open.
Left defenseless by rain soften greens and calm conditions the U.S. Open, long regarded as the toughest test, was made to look easy through the opening three rounds as golfers attacked the pins with bravado in smashing scoring records.
The former Florida State standout closed with 5-under 67 Sunday, realizing only after his par on the final hole that a birdie would have set yet another U.S. Open record in a week filled with them. "The ball-striking was pretty solid".
Fowler, who is fast cementing himself as "the best player never to win a major, " began Sunday's U.S. Open final round at 10-under, two shots out of the lead.
Mullinax shot 68 on Sunday to tie for ninth at 8 under, eight shots behind victor Brooks Koepka.
Thomas failed to make a birdie on the front nine.
When this event ended, Koepka's image might have been summed up - entirely incorrectly - by one of his quotes this past week when he said that nothing in golf "really gets me too worked up, whatever happens, bogey, double bogey, birdie, eagle, I mean, I'm pretty chill anyway". But he said the wind wreaked havoc with his putts, blowing them off line and putting him in spots where "getting kind of the right gust at the right time was kind of key".
The rising Japanese superstar then poured in five back-nine birdies to send a scare into what had been shaping as a match play shootout between Koepka and Brian Harman with other overnight contenders flailing.
So the Koepka who, in a golf cart leaving the last green, put his hands over his face, pulled his hat over his eyes and seemed to melt with relief is a more accurate picture of the golf champion of America. "I had an opportunity today and I didn't get it done".
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Matsuyama got off to a fast start with three birdies in his first five holes, including a 41-foot putt from just off the green on No. 4. Jamie Lovemark, Rickie Fowler and J.B. Holmes featured in a three-way tie at six under. Stricker tapped in for par. "I did my best, but I came up a little short". He nearly muffed the third, leaving it 41 feet away, but calmly two-putted for the title. Koepka was tied for second place after Saturday's competition. "It was a long phone call for us, it was like two minutes it wasn't much". More than worrying about the uncertainty of his career, he was trying to figure a way to close one of these big ones out. "Obviously, today I definitely had something to show for it". "Just don't get ahead of yourself". "I want to go home". "But he just said a few things, and just stay patient". Yes, but it turns out he's not just any golfer.
"It will be no surprise to many people back in Europe and certainly no surprise to all of the leading Europeans with whom he played with and against, and who he defeated in Turkey in 2014 as part of the final series in which they all played".
Defending champion Dustin Johnson probably didn't feel so badly by the end of a most peculiar day.
There's certainly something different about him now.
NOTEWORTHY: Koepka is the seventh straight first-time major victor.
He was finding it hard to grasp what he had accomplished. If you read my post, it says I love the design.
"To be in the same category as some of the names on this trophy, this is just truly special". A one-time baseball prodigy, he was striking out.
"I felt like I've underachieved". I knew where I stood.
"I was kind of, I don't want to say homesick, it was just, exhausted of golf".
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