FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) — Brooks Koepka held off a late charge from Dustin Johnson to win the PGA Championship for the second straight year.
Koepka took a seven-stroke lead into the final round at Bethpage Black and held on after Johnson cut his deficit to one stroke.
Koepka finished with a 4-over 74 to win by 2 strokes and claim his fourth major title. He joins Tiger Woods as the only golfers to win the PGA in back-to-back years since the tournament went to stroke play in 1958. Koepka has also won back-to-back U.S. Opens.
Koepka made bogey on four straight holes on the back nine, and when Johnson birdied No. 15, he had closed the gap to one stroke. But Johnson had back-to-back bogeys to restore Koepka’s cushion.
Johnson, the No. 1 player in the world rankings, shot 69. It’s the second straight major he’s finished as runner-up. Johnson, who was second to Woods at the Masters last month, has finished second in all four majors.
Koepka, who led almost from the outset, bogeyed the 11th, 12th and 13th holes, with poor driving in windy conditions contributing to his problems.
Meanwhile, his close friend and workout buddy Johnson remained steady with the best round of the day. He made birdie on No. 15 for the fourth straight day to pull within two strokes.
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