Chung Sung-Jun
Koepka has now won 12 titles as a professional—in seven different countries.

By Christopher Powers
Following a third major championship victory at this year’s PGA at Bellerive, the only remaining question about Brooks Koepka’s game was, why hadn’t he won more on the PGA Tour? Aside from his three majors, Koepka had just one other victory in a PGA Tour event, coming in the 2015 Waste Management Phoneix Open.

On Sunday at Nine Bridges Golf Club in Jeju Island, South Korea, Koepka emphatically answered that question with a final-round 64, giving him a four-shot victory in the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges. The round included a remarkable back-nine 29 that featured an eagle on the 72nd hole to put him at 21-under 267 overall.

“I just hung in there, I’m not somebody that’s going to panic if things go the wrong way, pretty sure everybody can tell that,” said Koepka, who opened his round with a sub-par front-nine 35 for the second straight day. “I just kind of hang in there and wait for my holes. I know I’m going to have some good looks, and when I do you got to capitalize on them. The one on 15 was quite big at the time, with Gary [Woodland] making the charge and playing as well as he did, but it was fun.”

Woodland’s charge was nearly a miraculous one, as he made 11 birdies en route to a nine-under 63. Even that was not nearly enough to catch Koepka, whose victory comes with an added perk: It places him atop the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in the 28-year-old’s professional career.

“To be World No. 1, it’s something I dreamed of as a kid, I don’t think this one has sunk in,” he said.

“Just need to keep building on what I’m doing, everything I’ve done this year, it’s been working, so I don’t want to change anything. Just need to keep improving, make sure I clean up the putting a little bit, and the wedge play, and just keep doing what I’m doing. I’m having fun, I’m loving it and I can’t wait to get back to it next week.”

Tying for third at 15-under 273 were Rafa Cabrera Bello and Ryan Palmer, who carded a Sunday 62, the lowest round of the tournament.