Shane Lowry received The Open, however Brooks Koepka received the majors

PORTRUSH, Northern Eire — The golf gods lastly discovered a strategy to decelerate Brooks Koepka in a significant championship — heavy rain, 35-mph wind gusts and a final-round pairing with J.B. Holmes, one of the crucial notoriously gradual gamers on the PGA Tour.

Regardless of that trifecta — and Koepka’s incapability to make a lot of something on the greens of Royal Portrush Golf Membership this week — he nonetheless managed to complete in a tie for fourth place on the 148th Open on Sunday.

After opening the ultimate spherical with 4 consecutive bogeys — he had 4 bogeys within the first three rounds mixed — he shot Three-over 74 and completed 6-under par, 9 photographs behind winner Shane Lowry.

“I did not make something,” Koepka stated. “Good putts simply missed the outlet. It is irritating. There’s nothing I can do, although. Generally, you’ve got simply acquired to reside with it.”

Whereas Lowry, an Irishman, might need received the primary Open performed on Irish soil in 68 years, Koepka received the majors this season.

It was the fifth straight main championship during which Koepka completed within the high 5, together with all 4 this 12 months. He completed tied for second on the Masters in April, received the PGA Championship for the second straight 12 months at Bethpage Black in Might and completed solo second on the U.S. Open at Pebble Seaside in June.

Koepka is barely the fifth participant to perform that feat within the Masters period (since 1934); Jack Nicklaus (1971 and ’73), Tiger Woods (2000 and ’05), Rickie Fowler (2014) and Jordan Spieth (2015) had been the others.

“As an entire, it is superior,” Koepka stated. “That is what I am striving to do — to play properly within the huge occasions. I kind of did that. This week is disappointing, however the remainder of them have been nice. I am not going to lie: it has been enjoyable. I might have favored to simply have made just a few extra [putts] and completed it off with a bunch of second locations.”

Given the way in which Koepka began on Sunday, it is exceptional that he was capable of get again into the highest 5. He began the day at 9-under and seven photographs behind Lowry. After 4 holes, he was Four over for his spherical and 11 photographs behind the Irishman.

“I warmed up positive,” Koepka stated. “I simply hit 4 of the worst photographs I’ve in all probability hit all week.”

Koepka rapidly recovered with an eagle 2 on the par-Four fifth gap by driving the inexperienced and sinking a 5-footer. He made the flip at 2-over 38, after which had a bogey on the par-Four 11th.

That is when Holmes’ gradual tempo appeared to get beneath Koepka’s pores and skin. Holmes began the day at 10 beneath, however he was 5 over on the entrance 9. Then he had a triple-bogey 7 on 11 and a double-bogey 7 on 12.

Brooks Koepka has now completed within the high 5 in 5 straight majors. Stuart Franklin/Getty Pictures

Whereas Holmes was spending additional time studying his double-bogey putt on No. 11, Koepka turned his again and wiped his face in obvious frustration.

“I am able to go more often than not,” Koepka stated. “That is what I do not perceive. When it is your flip to hit, your glove is just not on, then you definately begin desirous about it, that is the place the issue lies. It isn’t that he takes that lengthy. He would not do something till his flip. That is the irritating half. However he is not the one one which does it out right here.”

On the par-5 12th gap, Holmes hit his second shot into bushes on the proper aspect of the inexperienced. He took an unplayable lie and tried to chip off trampled grass. His ball rolled again down the false entrance of the inexperienced. He putted onto the inexperienced and wanted two extra putts for double-bogey.

Whereas strolling off the No. 12 inexperienced, in keeping with Golf Channel’s Will Grey, Koepka checked out a guidelines official and pointed at a nonexistent watch on his hand, apparently indicating to the official that Holmes was enjoying gradual.

Koepka stated he did not bear in mind the incident after his spherical.

Holmes shot 16-over 87, which dropped him from third place firstly of the spherical to a tie for 67th at 6 over.

Holmes declined to talk to reporters after the spherical.

“He had a tough day, however J.B. is a gradual participant,” Koepka stated. “I do know it is troublesome with the wind, however I did not suppose he was that unhealthy [with the pace on Sunday]. I assumed he was all proper. … It was gradual, nevertheless it wasn’t that unhealthy for his regular tempo.

“There have been some occasions once I thought it was gradual. There are plenty of gradual guys out right here. That is not the primary one I have been with it, particularly while you’ve acquired a strolling official with you.”

It was the second time within the ultimate spherical of a significant this 12 months that Koepka was paired with a participant who struggled mightily. Within the PGA Championship, Harold Varner III shot 11-over 81.

Koepka has been one probably the most vocal critics of gradual play on the PGA Tour.

“The European Tour does an unbelievable job with the tempo of play, posting it within the locker rooms. The PGA would not do this,” he stated.

Whereas The Open did not finish the way in which Koepka had hoped, his tie for fourth continued one of many actually exceptional runs in PGA Tour historical past. He has been probably the most constant participant in majors, ending within the high 10 in 18 of the previous 19 rounds in main championships. He shot within the 60s in 11 of 16 rounds in main championships this season, becoming a member of Spieth (2015) for second most within the Masters period. Solely Woods (12 in 2000) had extra in majors in a single season.

“What he is accomplished within the final 4 main championships has been simply unbelievable,” Woods stated. “To be so constant, so stable. He is been in rivalry to win every main championship.”