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Suddenly, the landscape of the PGA Tour looks different.
With his victory in the Waste Management Phoenix Open on Sunday, Brooks Koepka replanted himself among the game’s power brokers, erasing questions about whether the four-time major champion could overcome the challenges related to knee and hip injuries that have disrupted him for more than a year.
Koepka made two eagles on his way to final-round 65 to overcome a five-stroke deficit entering the final round at TPC Scottsdale and beat Xander Schauffele and K.H. Lee by one stroke for his eighth career victory.
Far from the spotlight, Koepka has labored to recover from a tear in the patella tendon of his left knee which, subsequently, contributed to a hip issue serious enough to keep him out of the U.S. Open at Winged Foot last September.
“It’s been very humbling,” Koepka said. “I’ve had some real dark moments. I was in some dark places mentally. I didn’t know if I was ever going to be the same again.
“My (left) knee didn’t feel the same as my right one. I look at all the hard work I’ve done with everybody. I’m really proud of myself and those guys and all they’ve done.” A week earlier, Koepka had missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open, making it the first time in his PGA Tour career that he failed to reach the weekend in three consecutive starts. Koepka said he knew he was playing better than the results indicated but he was struggling with scoring.
That changed in Phoenix. He moved into the edge of contention Saturday but most of the attention focused on Jordan Spieth as he shot 61 to get a share of the 54-hole lead while trying to end a winless period that spans more than three years.
Koepka seized the tournament when he pitched in from 97 feet for eagle at the par-4 17th, holing a difficult shot up a slope, evidence of the work he’s done with short game guru Pete Cowen.
With 5,000 fans on site, Koepka said he felt energized by the crowd, having struggled playing on otherwise empty courses. When it came time for someone to win, Koepka made it happen.
“I was just waiting until it was my turn on Sunday,” Koepka said.
Ron Green Jr.