https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/06/19/sports/golf/us-open-brooks-koepka.html
Trey Jones had replied to dozens of texts and emails and spoken by phone with several well-wishers Sunday night after Brooks Koepka, whom Jones coached at Florida State, became the fourth Seminole, after Hubert Green, Paul Azinger and Jeff Sluman, to win a men’s golf major championship.
The hour was late, and Jones, who was in Omaha to support the Florida State baseball team in the College World Series, was exhausted. He fell asleep quickly, only to be awakened after midnight by his phone’s ringtone. Dreading what news such a late-night call might bring, Jones groggily answered.
But it was Koepka on the other end, with words that every coach or educator thrills to hear.
Jones said Koepka thanked him for molding him into a golfer capable of winning the United States Open, which Koepka had done in convincing fashion hours earlier with a closing five-under 67, the second-lowest score of the day, on a windswept Erin Hills course. He told Jones that he loved him and added, “I wouldn’t be here without you.”
At Florida State, Koepka was a three-time all-American with a five-alarm temper.
“On a scale of one to 10, it was close to the top,” Jones said. “It was way, way up there.”
Jones said he called Koepka out about his comportment, which was the subject of numerous “tough love” talks.
With Jones’s help, Koepka in time came to see that his outbursts were an obstacle in his path to becoming a champion golfer. He won his first event as a senior, then added two more titles by the season’s end.
“He can take tough love,” Jones said. “You’d ride him, and he’d thank you for it.”
The transformation that began in Tallahassee was on full display down the stretch on Sunday. Koepka made three birdies in a row starting at No. 14 to distance himself from a fast-charging Hideki Matsuyama and a steady Brian Harman. Matsuyama and Harman finished at 12 under, which would have been good enough to win 115 of the United States Opens that have been contested, but not the 117th. They finished four strokes behind Koepka, who tied Rory McIlroy’s tournament record of 16 under in 2011.
“I had an opportunity today, and I didn’t get it done,” Harman said afterward. “But at the same time, I don’t feel as though I lost the golf tournament. I think Brooks went out and won the tournament.”
In four rounds, Koepka missed seven fairways and 10 greens. His machine-like efficiency was matched by his programmed waves to every made putt. His emotions on the course ran the gamut from calm to cool.
“He’s just really, really chill,” said Koepka’s caddie, Ricky Elliott. “Brooks could sometimes do with a little kick, like are you awake yet? He’s as calm as it gets, really, to a fault sometimes.”
Koepka, 27, came into the Open with one PGA Tour victory, in 2015, but he outperformed his résumé in the majors. He tied for fourth at the 2014 United States Open and the 2016 P.G.A. Championship and tied for fifth at the 2015 P.G.A. Championship.
“There’s something about majors where I just focus a lot more,” Koepka said. “Obviously I need to do that more often.”
In 2013, the year after he left Florida State, Koepka played on the minor league circuit in Europe in a successful attempt to obtain his European Tour membership.
Members of the Florida State golf team, including Koepka, center, and Jones, far right, posed with their trophies when they were the 2010 Division I golf semifinalists.
Florida State Athletics
“He called me when he was on the European Challenge Tour, and said, ‘I get it now,’” Jones recalled.
Koepka told Jones that he saw behavior by his fellow competitors that Jones wouldn’t countenance.
“It takes a pretty big man to step up and say, ‘I was wrong,’” Jones said. “But that’s who Brooks is. Any criticism that would help his golf game, he’d take it.”
In 2014, Jones recalled getting frustrated watching the United States Open telecast from Pinehurst, N.C., where Koepka finished 10 strokes behind the winner, Martin Kaymer. Despite the fact that only three golfers scored better, Koepka did not receive much screen time.
“They showed him maybe two times,” Jones said.
Three years later, Koepka turned Sunday’s back nine into a one-man show that Jones believes could have a long run.
“Just because of how competitive he is,” Jones said. “He has always set his sights so high.”
After winning his first major, Koepka seems determined not to lose his low profile. He told Jones that he was forgoing the traditional New York media tour that in recent years has served as the United States Open winner’s victory lap. Everyone he wanted to talk to about his title seemed to be in his smartphone contact list.
Linafelt / FSUVerified account @Tim_Linafelt 37 minutes ago
Huge week for @FSUGolf. First Jack Nicklaus on campus to look at course. Then Daniel Berger wins St. Jude. Then Brooks Koepka wins Us Open.
Tim Bourret @TimBourret 1 hour ago
You would think Fox would mention Koepka and Daniel Berger were teammates at Florida St. in 2012. Now won consecutive weeks on PGA Tour.
Jonathan WallVerified account @jonathanrwall 2 hours ago
THIS IS VERY OUT OF DATE FYI. WAITING FOR UPDATE
http://www.seminoles.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=32900&ATCLID=209612250
Don't forget: Brooks Koepka is playing without an equipment deal at the moment. Betting on himself is about to pay off in a big, big way.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2017/06/19/brooks-koepka-hubert-green-florida-state-us-open/407764001/
The congratulatory text message was from one Seminole to another Seminole.
In fact, it’s an exclusive club.
Brooks Koepka joined Hubert Green on Sunday as the only two Florida State golfers to win the U.S. Open.
“I have heard good things about him,” Green said from his Mountain Brook, Ala., residence in a telephone interview with the Tallahassee Democrat on Sunday night. “His drives are a mile. He does it all, he does it all. I was just getting ready to text him to say congratulations.”
Koepka, 27, who starred at FSU from 2008 to 2012, closed with a 5-under 67 at Erin Hills in Wisconsin to win the U.S. Open for his first major championship.
Green, 70, won 22 PGA Tour victories, including the 1977 U.S. Open and the 1985 PGA Championship. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2007.
Green, an Alabama native, arrived at FSU in 1965 and served as the Seminoles’ team captain in 1968.
He turned professional in 1970 and enjoyed an outstanding career, finishing in the top-25 in a third of the PGA Tour events he entered. Green also survived oral cancer that was diagnosed in 2003.
Though his voice wavered at times, his message was clear. He was impressed by Koepka’s performance that saw him make three consecutive birdies on the back nine to break away from the field.
Green added that he tries to keep up with former Seminoles on the PGA Tour.
Daniel Berger, who played at FSU from 2011 to 2013, won the St. Jude Classic for the second consecutive year last weekend.
“I think this will help (Koepka’s) mental confidence,” Green said.
“He has a pretty good notch in his belt, so the other guys should watch out. He has so much talent, so much length. ... I think he will be a tremendous player for a long time.”
FSU men’s golf coach Trey Jones, in Omaha to watch the baseball Seminoles in the College World Series, couldn’t have been more proud of Koepka.
“You heard his caddy say early in the round say 'stay aggressive,' ” Jones said. “You could tell the way he played that he attacked (the course), taking on aggressive lines. He’s a complete player.”
Matt Savage, a former teammate of Koepka’s at FSU and later an assistant coach with the Seminoles (2012-15), wasn’t surprised by Koepka’s poise and consistency off the tee in windy conditions.
“He was just bombing it (off the tee) and when you hit it as good as he does, the wind doesn’t really have that big of an affect on your golf ball,” said Savage, who resides in Bowling Green, Ky.
“It never looked hard at all for him.”
Green agreed.
“He doesn’t show his emotions, he just walks up and plays,” said Green, a member of the FSU Athletics Hall of Fame.
“It’s sort of like Jack Nicklaus. He just tees it up and goes.”
The congratulatory text message was from one Seminole to another Seminole.
In fact, it’s an exclusive club.
Brooks Koepka joined Hubert Green on Sunday as the only two Florida State golfers to win the U.S. Open.
“I have heard good things about him,” Green said from his Mountain Brook, Ala., residence in a telephone interview with the Tallahassee Democrat on Sunday night. “His drives are a mile. He does it all, he does it all. I was just getting ready to text him to say congratulations.”
Koepka, 27, who starred at FSU from 2008 to 2012, closed with a 5-under 67 at Erin Hills in Wisconsin to win the U.S. Open for his first major championship.
Green, 70, won 22 PGA Tour victories, including the 1977 U.S. Open and the 1985 PGA Championship. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2007.
Green, an Alabama native, arrived at FSU in 1965 and served as the Seminoles’ team captain in 1968.
He turned professional in 1970 and enjoyed an outstanding career, finishing in the top-25 in a third of the PGA Tour events he entered. Green also survived oral cancer that was diagnosed in 2003.
Though his voice wavered at times, his message was clear. He was impressed by Koepka’s performance that saw him make three consecutive birdies on the back nine to break away from the field.
Green added that he tries to keep up with former Seminoles on the PGA Tour.
Daniel Berger, who played at FSU from 2011 to 2013, won the St. Jude Classic for the second consecutive year last weekend.
“I think this will help (Koepka’s) mental confidence,” Green said.
“He has a pretty good notch in his belt, so the other guys should watch out. He has so much talent, so much length. ... I think he will be a tremendous player for a long time.”
FSU men’s golf coach Trey Jones, in Omaha to watch the baseball Seminoles in the College World Series, couldn’t have been more proud of Koepka.
“You heard his caddy say early in the round say 'stay aggressive,' ” Jones said. “You could tell the way he played that he attacked (the course), taking on aggressive lines. He’s a complete player.”
Matt Savage, a former teammate of Koepka’s at FSU and later an assistant coach with the Seminoles (2012-15), wasn’t surprised by Koepka’s poise and consistency off the tee in windy conditions.
“He was just bombing it (off the tee) and when you hit it as good as he does, the wind doesn’t really have that big of an affect on your golf ball,” said Savage, who resides in Bowling Green, Ky.
“It never looked hard at all for him.”
Green agreed.
“He doesn’t show his emotions, he just walks up and plays,” said Green, a member of the FSU Athletics Hall of Fame.
“It’s sort of like Jack Nicklaus. He just tees it up and goes.”
http://www.seminoles.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=32900&ATCLID=209612250
 |
| Seminole | Tour |
Titles
|
| Paul Azinger | PGA Tour |
12
|
| Daniel Berger | PGA Tour |
-
|
| Jonas Blixt | PGA Tour |
2
|
| Bob Duval | PGA Tour/Champions Tour |
1
|
| Hubert Green | PGA Tour/Champions Tour |
23
|
| Nolan Henke | PGA Tour |
3
|
| Brian Kamm | PGA Tour/Web.com Tour |
1
|
| Kenny Knox | PGA Tour/Champions Tour |
3
|
| Brooks Koepka | PGA Tour |
-
|
| George McNeill | PGA Tour |
2
|
| Jeff Sluman | PGA Tour/Champions Tour |
12
|
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