Brooks Koepka: From gaining 20 pounds to back-to-back US Open titles

He became the first man to win back-to-back US Open titles for 29 years, but just a few months ago the thought of winning a second major title couldn’t have seemed further away for Brooks Koepka.

The 28-year-old Floridian triumphed by one shot over England’s Tommy Fleetwood on an absorbing afternoon to back up his breakthrough major victory at Erin Hills 12 months ago, having only recently recovered from a wrist injury that had kept him housebound for long periods.

“I was pretty low. Sitting on that couch eating and gaining 20 pounds isn’t exactly fun – there’s only so much you can do,” Koepka told CNN after his victory at Shinnecock Hills.

“It wasn’t fun. Guys have had that injury and never been the same. Some guys have ended their careers. To come back after sitting on the sidelines for so long, I was so eager to go out and play after watching Augusta.”

Koepka started Sunday in a four-way tie for the lead and carded 68 for one over to edge Fleetwood, who fired only the sixth round of 63 in US Open history.

The American, who missed five months of the season from the wrist injury, finished two clear of world No.1 Dustin Johnson and three ahead of Masters champion Patrick Reed.

“It’s definitely more gratifying this year because it was such a tough test,” said Koepka, after what was an eventful and high-scoring week in New York.

“It was a true US Open – how people view it. The winning score right on even par and making guys sweat through it all day.”

The last of the six previous back-to-back US Open winners was Curtis Strange in 1988 and 1989. Koepka’s win snapped a streak of nine first-time major winners out of the previous 10 events and means Americans have won the last five majors.

Brooks Koepka became the seventh man to win back-to-back US Open titles after overcoming a testing and controversial week at Shinnecock Hills.

The 28-year-old Floridian beat England's Tommy Fleetwood by one shot with world No.1 Dustin Johnson two back and Masters champion Patrick Reed three adrift.

Koepka is the first player since Curtis Strange in 1988 and 1989 to win back-to-back US Open titles.

Despite having at least a share of the lead at the end of each of the first three rounds, Johnson was unable to add a second US Open title to 2016's breakthrough major win.

Fleetwood took advantage of the USGA's kinder set-up following a controversial Saturday to shoot only the sixth 63 in US Open history 45 years after Johnny Miller posted the first in 1973 at Oakmont.

Phil Mickelson was back a day after sparking the "putt-gate" controversy when he hit his still moving ball back towards the hole. The left-hander, who improved on Saturday's 81 with a closing 69 to end +16, declined to offer any further comment on the incident.

Day three: Birthday boy Phil Mickelson (48) sparked controversy as he ran after a still moving putt and hit it back towards the hole. Mickelson later said he was fed up with going back and forth and "you take your two-shot penalty and move on." He denied he was being disrespectful.

Mickelson's playing partner Andrew Johnston said he had never seen a situation like that before. "His body acted quicker than his brain," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Dustin Johnson led by four overnight but endured some mid-round demons before fighting back. The world No.1 goes into Sunday's final round in a four-way tie for the lead with Brooks Koepka, Daniel Berger and Tony Finau.

American Daniel Berger shot a four-under 66 in favorable conditions Saturday morning and jumped up the leaderboard when the later starters struggled in stronger winds.

Day two: Then and now. World No.1 Dustin Johnson led by four at halfway as former top-ranked Tiger Woods missed the cut at Shinnecock Hills.

Johnson was imperious, carding a 67 to surge to four under -- the only player under par after two torrid days on Long Island.

Woods, the champion 10 years ago, was looking to make amends for a poor opening round but the three-time winner slipped further back in his first US Open since 2015.

Rory McIlroy improved on his opening 80 with a round of 70 but still missed the cut by two Friday.

Jordan Spieth made a late scramble to make the cut with four straight birdies but he missed a short putt on the last to ensure an early checkout from Long Island.

Phil Mickelson made the weekend and will play in front of his adoring New York crowds on his 48th birthday Saturday as he chases the one major he needs to complete the set.

England's Ian Poulter inched to within one shot of Johnson but made a triple-bogey on the 17th and added a bogey on 18 to undo all his good work.

England's Tommy Fleetwood, the world No. 12, fired the best round of the week so far with a 66 to reach one over, beating Thursday's best score by three strokes.

Day one: A stiff breeze and the savage Shinnecock Hills course on Long Island shredded the nerves and the hopes of some of golf's top stars on day one of the US Open.

World No.1 and 2016 champion Dustin Johnson was one of only four players to finish under par out of a field of 156. The big-hitting American shot 69 to share a four-way tie for the lead.

Englishman Ian Poulter was another on one under despite labeling it "extremely difficult."

Former world No.1 Tiger Woods, playing his first US Open since 2015 after back surgeries, drew huge crowds at the historic Hamptons venue.

Woods, who won the last of his 14 majors 10 years ago, was under the cosh from the start, amassing a triple-bogey seven at the first and adding a bogey at the second.

The 42-year-old Woods fought back to reach the turn at three over but let slip two double bogeys on the back nine and ended with an eight-over 78.

Rory McIlroy (left), Jordan Spieth (center) and Phil Mickelson formed a big-name trio on Thursday morning but the supergroup couldn't hit the right notes.

McIlroy, the 2011 champion, struggled to an opening 80, which at 10 over par was his worse score in a major.

Spieth, the 2015 winner, took 78, while six-time runner-up Mickelson shot 77 as he chases the final leg of the career grand slam.

US Open: Best photos from Shinnecock Hills

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READ: How a car crash shaped Brooks Koepka’s road to maiden US Open glory

Kept his head

The 118th US Open will be remembered for a tumultuous Saturday when conditions and testing pin placements turned the historic Shinnecock Hills layout into a brutally punishing test and led to severe criticism of organizer the USGA. Then there was Phil Mickelson’s “putt-gate” controversy when the five-time major champion deliberately hit a moving ball.

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But despite the furore, the cream rose to the top Sunday as Koepka kept his head and showed he has the skill and mental mettle to win around a seriously testing course as well as at the wide open, long-hitters paradise that was Erin Hills.

“You’ve got to be mentally tough [to win the US Open],” said Koepka.

“You’ve got to be able to let things roll off your back and you’ve got to have some patience. I think that’s right up my alley.”

READ: Feisty fans and fiery course spice up legend of Shinnecock Hills

Brooks Koepka kisses girlfriend Jena Sims as he walks off the 18th at Shinneock Hills.

‘Very special’

The USGA accepted the situation had got out of hand on Long Island Saturday and watered the course overnight, as well as altering some hole locations to make scoring easier. Mickelson answered Saturday’s mad-cap 81 with a 69 but refused to comment further on his antics. His wife Amy reportedly said: “He’s a good man who had a bad moment.”

Fleetwood, who finished fourth last year, took advantage and narrowly missed a major record-equaling putt for 62 on the last green. He then waited with his wife and baby son for about three hours to discover if his two-over target would be enough for a maiden major title.

“We said last night, ‘shoot the greatest score in the US Open and you’ll have a chance,’” said Fleetwood, 45 years to the day after Johnny Miller posted the first and only other 63 in the final round of a US Open. “It’s something very special to shoot 63 in a US Open.”

But Koepka, playing in the penultimate group with close friend Johnson, kept his early momentum going with a crucial putt for a bogey on the 11th to limit his losses. And he hung on during a nerve-jangling back nine – he bogeyed the last for some late drama – as long-time leader Johnson faded.

“We didn’t really speak too much,” Koepka said.

“He was busy grinding his tail off and I was busy grinding mine. We’re extremely close. I love the guy to death. It would have been fun to duel it out with him coming down the end.”

Another American Tony Finau, playing in the final group, was the only other player with a chance of usurping Koepka at the end but he couldn’t get close enough over the closing holes and finished with a double bogey to end five over.

Runner-up Tommy Fleetwood shot 63 to equal the US Open scoring record.

Climbing the ladder

The victory – and first prize of $2.16 million – is another chapter in the remarkable tale of a young multi-sport athlete in the US who moved into golf following a serious car crash and then learned his trade traveling around Europe and beyond on the second-tier Challenge Tour.

Koepka won four times on the Challenge Tour and earned his first European Tour card in 2013. A first win came the following year and a maiden PGA Tour victory followed in 2015. Two years later he was a major champion, and now a two-time winner.

As for the future? Koepka is hungry for more silverware.

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“There’s a lot ahead. I see more major championships,” he says.

“I’ve definitely matured over the last five, six years, going to Europe you figure out how to win. Then you come out here and win your first major and now your second. You’re always working to try and climb that ladder. I’m climbing it right now, I just need to keep going.”