Page 6 - Talk of Tequesta - February '20

Page 6, The Talk Of Tequesta

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Top-Ranked Koepka Commits

To Play In The 2020 Honda Classic

Brooks Koepka, the No. 1 player in the world for the place and I can see eyes are on me just for dinner. And I’m million to 157 South Florida philanthropic organizations
past eight months, has committed to play in the 2020 Honda like, what’s everybody staring at?” last year, the 13th consecutive year that the PGA TOUR
Classic, a PGA TOUR event which will be held Feb. 24 to “I just view myself as a regular guy, just like everybody event has been able to increase its impact on the lives of
March 1 at PGA National Resort and Spa. else. And I just happen to be really good at golf, and that’s local children and their families. More than 75,000 children
Koepka, a 29-year-old West Palm Beach product, has it. I don’t view myself any different than anybody else does. and their families benefited from the Honda Classic Cares
been the hottest player in golf for two seasons now behind I’m just a regular guy. That’s how I’d like to be treated. I initiative.
incredible performances in Major championships. Four of don’t want to be put up on a – I don’t want to say a pedestal Grounds tickets, Bear Trap tickets and other hospitality
his seven PGA TOUR victories have come in Majors. or anything like that, but I just want to be just like everybody tickets and packages for the 2020 Honda Classic are on sale
Koepka, who last year tied for second with Rickie Fowler else, just a normal person.” at thehondaclassic.com or by calling 1-844-8Honda8 (844)
behind Keith Mitchell at The Honda Classic, won the PGA The Honda Classic awarded a record-shattering $5.1 846-6328.
Championship after finishing second at The Masters. He also
finished second at the U.S. Open and fourth at the British
Open. He was the fifth player in history to finish in the top
five in all four Majors.
At the PGA Championship at Bethpage in New York,
Koepka overcame final day struggles in high winds to hold
off Dustin Johnson by two strokes. The victory allowed him
to supplant Johnson and regain the No. 1 spot in the Official
World Golf Ranking.
Koepka would have been the first player since Willie
Anderson in 1903 to 1905 to win three consecutive U.S.
Opens, but Gary Woodland caught fire to beat him by three
strokes even though Koepka was the first player in history
to post four scores in the 60s and not win.
Koepka’s 2019 accomplishments came after he won the
U.S. Open and PGA Championship in 2018 and the U.S.
Open in 2017. He was the first player to win back-to-back
titles at both the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship
and joined six others as winners of multiple titles at both
tournaments (Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan,
Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino and Tiger Woods).
At the 2019 Honda Classic, Koepka birdied two of his
final three holes in the final round on Sunday to post a
4-under 66 and claim a share of second place with Fowler
at 8-under 272. That was one stroke behind Mitchell, who
holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win.
“Every golfer and fan in the local community obviously
takes great pride in what Brooks has accomplished the past
several years,” Honda Classic Executive Director Kenneth
R. Kennerly said. “We are excited that he has decided to
return to The Honda Classic. His presence will undoubtedly
create an enormous amount of excitement at this year’s
tournament.”
Koepka preferred baseball to golf as a kid but switched
his focus in high school at Cardinal Newman. He learned
the game on the public courses of West Palm Beach, but was
not an accomplished junior player. He ended up attending
college at Florida State and blossomed into a three-time All All Natural Pain Medicine
American even though he did not win a tournament until
his senior year. Ask Us!!!
Four victories on the European Challenge Tour allowed
him to graduate to the European Tour and also test the PGA
TOUR in 2014.
“Going over there was a bunch of fun. It’s the best time
I’ve ever had playing golf,” Koepka said. “You become
more of a well-rounded player playing different places,
having to travel, doing that sort of thing. I felt like I was
Around Town on page 6
good enough to be out here (on the PGA TOUR) when I • Compounded Medications
was there. It’s just hard to get out here. I felt like if I just
did what I was supposed to do and kind of dug deep and made for you and your pets!
stayed patient that I was going to find a way. Luckily enough
it was pretty quick.” • Compression Hosiery
He made 12 of 16 cuts with two top 10 finishes to earn
his TOUR card for 2015. That’s when he put together • Wheelchairs, Walkers, Canes
a breakthrough season with his first victory (Waste
Management Phoenix Open) and eight Top 10 finishes.
Koepka had five top five finishes in 2016 before beginning TequesTa Drugs anD
his Major run at the 2017 Open.
Everything came together at Erin Hills. His 72-hole total
of 16-under 272 tied the tournament record for lowest total
under par, which was set by Rory McIlroy at Congressional CompounDing
Country Club in 2011. He had six additional Top 10
performances during the year to go alongside the Open
victory. The Pharmacy With A
In 2018, Koepka was the PGA TOUR Player of the Year
behind the U.S. Open and PGA Championship victories.
Koepka has stayed humble despite his enormous success.
“I view myself completely differently than people view
me,” he said. “I still think it’s weird when I walk into a

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