Brooks Koepka has credited his grounding in professional golf this side of the Atlantic as crucial in playing his way into the top 20 on the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in his career.
The 24 year old Floridian claimed a narrow one stroke triumph at the Waste Management Phoenix Open on the US PGA Tour over the weekend, and he was quick to point out that he would not have been able to climb to 19th on the global list without his experiences in Europe.
After his success on the European Challenge Tour in 2013, there was no doubt as to the talent the second tier graduate possessed, a fact he proved without a shadow of a doubt last November en route to the first Race to Dubai victory of his still embryonic career.
Holding off European Ryder Cup hero Ian Poulter down the stretch at The Montgomerie Maxx Royal to lift the Turkish Airlines Open by the Ministry of Youth and Sport by one stroke saw him finally cash in on his undoubted talent, and just three starts later, he secured a first triumph on home soil.
Many will think it has not taken very long for Koepka to establish himself as one of the game’s brightest young talents, but he tells a different story, one that saw him deal with the adversity of missing out on his US PGA Tour card by two shots in 2012, to rise through the ranks in Europe and arrive back on his native circuit a seasoned winner.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Koepka, who finished eighth in The Race to Dubai in 2014. “I didn’t think I would work my way up this quickly, but playing the Challenge and European Tours has led to this. Going that route, going over to Europe, it toughened me. It was a blessing in disguise, as at the time I was extremely disappointed, but that just toughens you up and makes you want to get out here that much more.
“I have learned a lot, whether it be success or failure, I have learned a lot. I have won on the Challenge Tour, won in Europe and now here, and it’s been special, but I want to be the best player in the world. I’m not there yet, and I know it’s going to take time, but I want to get to that point.
“I think I’m one of the most mentally strong people that I have ever met, but learning how to travel, managing your time, going about things the right way, handling yourself off the golf course, it was big. I guess you could say it was a big culture shock going over, but as far as coming back, it’s been a very nice transition to come back.
“I look at a couple of scenarios – the first win as a pro, that builds your confidence, but there were a couple of turning points. The win in Turkey really made me believe that I can play with some of the best players in the world, after going toe to toe with Poulter, and now you look at this week, that leaderboard. That’s pretty impressive.”
