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US PGA Championship 2018 final round live coverage: Brooks Koepka beats Tiger Woods, Adam Scott

US Open champ Brooks Koepka keeps nerves at bay to outlast Tiger Woods and Aussie Adam Scott in the US PGA.

Brooks Koepka celebrates with his girlfriend, Jena Sims, after winning the 2018 PGA Championship. Photo: Getty Images
Brooks Koepka celebrates with his girlfriend, Jena Sims, after winning the 2018 PGA Championship. Photo: Getty Images
10 min read
4:27AMAugust 13, 2018.
Updated 12:44PMAugust 13, 2018

Welcome to live coverage of the final round of the US PGA Championship from the Bellerive Country Club in St Louis, Missouri.

Brooks Koepka held off dramatic challenges from Tiger Woods and Adam Scott in a thrilling back-nine battle to win the 100th PGA Championship.

The 28-year-old two-time US Open champion sealed his third major title by firing a four-under-par 66 to finish 72 holes on 16-under 264 and defeat Woods by two strokes at Bellerive Country Club with Australia’s Scott another shot adrift.

As Woods electrified spectators by displaying the form that made him a 14-time major champion, American rival Koepka stayed calm and persevered under intense pressure.

Tiger Woods pumps his fist after making birdie on the 18th. Photo: Getty Images
Tiger Woods pumps his fist after making birdie on the 18th. Photo: Getty Images

Deadlocked for the lead with Scott and only one stroke ahead of Woods, Koepka sank a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-4 15th and a six-foot birdie putt at the par-3 16th then parred the last two holes to secure the victory.

Woods, who hasn’t won a major title since the 2008 US Open and hasn’t won any title in five years, proved he is a legitimate major title contender once again at age 42 with an epic 64 he ended with a 20-foot birdie putt at 18.

Adam Scott reacts after missing a birdie putt on the 16th. Photo: Getty Images
Adam Scott reacts after missing a birdie putt on the 16th. Photo: Getty Images

— AFP

LEADERBOARD (US unless stated)
-16 Brooks Koepka
-14 Tiger Woods
-13 Adam Scott (Australia)
-11 Stewart Cink, Jon Rahm (Spain)
-10 Justin Thomas, Thomas Pieters (Belgium), Gary Woodland, Francesco Molinari (Italy)
-9 Tyrrell Hatton, Rafa Cabrera Bello (Spain)

Daniel Sankey 9.02am: KOEPKA WINS US PGA

Reigning US Open champion American Brooks Koepka has claimed the PGA title, holding off a fast-finishing Tiger Woods and Aussie Adam Scott to claim victory in the fourth and final major of 2018.

Koepka hit a final round 66 to finish at -16, two strokes ahead of Woods (64), who pipped Scott (67) for second after the Aussie scrambled to a bogey on the 18th. Scott hit his drive left and was forced to take a drop, and did well to limit the damge to just one dropped stroke.

Stewart Cink and Jon Rahm finished in a tie for fourth at -11, while Australia’s Jason Day was unable to make any headway on the final day, finishing in a tie for 19th at -7.

For Koepka, the world number four, it’s his third major title in his past six starts, having won both the 2017 and 2018 US Open.

And for Scott, it’s a welcome to return to form. The 2013 US Masters winner had fallen to no.76 in the world rankings after a dismal couple of years — but a top three finish will see him climb back into the top 50.

Daniel Sankey 8.43am: Koepka two up, one to play

Brooks Koepka has tapped in for par on the 597-yard par five 17th hole, and he heads to the 18th at -16 with a two shot lead over Australia’s Adam Scott (-14) and Tiger Woods, who’s back in the clubhouse.

Koepka then found the fairway on the 18th — a par four, 457-yard hole — while Scott hit his drive left and will do well to make par.

Australia’s Jason Day is back in the clubhouse on -7, finishing in a tie for 19th.

Daniel Sankey 8.40am: Brilliant finish for Tiger

His charge has fallen just short at the US PGA, but Tiger Woods made sure everyone knew he was back as a major force, making birdie at the last to cap off a fine final round of 64.

That birdie got Woods into a tie for second with Australia’s Adam Scott at -14.

Daniel Sankey 8.37am: Koepka goes WHACK

This is what a 338-yard drive looks like. That’s just a tick under 310 metres in our language.

With two holes to play, Brooks Koepka holds a two-stroke lead over Australia’s Adam Scott … and the adrenaline is obviously pumping.

Daniel Sankey 8.25am: Koepka lands a hammer blow

With consecutive birdies, Brooks Koepka has placed one hand on the US PGA trophy, extending his lead to two strokes over Australia’s Adam Scott.

Koepka made a three-metre birdie putt on the par three 16th hole as Scott chipped just wide from off the green. The Aussie tidied up for par, but now needs Koepka to make a mistake to give himself a chance of victory.

Tiger Woods remains in third at -13, while Stewart Cink joined Jon Rahm in equal fourth at -11 with birdie on the 18th.

Daniel Sankey 8.11am: Koepka takes outright lead

Reigning US Open champion Brooks Koepka regained the outright lead at the US PGA Championship with birdie at the 495-yard par 15th.

Koepka moved to -15, one stroke ahead of Australia’s Adam Scott, who hit a brilliant approach from the rough to give himself a birdie chance which he ultimately couldn’t convert.

Daniel Sankey 7.54am: Classic Tiger

What. A. Shot.

Tiger Woods sets up another birdie chance with an awesome approach at the 15th.

He makes the tap-in putt to move to -13, just one stroke from the lead shared by Australia’s Adam Scott and US Open champ Brooks Koepka.

Neither Scott nor Koepka were able to make an impression at the 410-yard par four 14th hole, both missing birdie putts.

Daniel Sankey 7.40am: Scott into share of lead

Australia’s Adam Scott moved into a share of the lead at -14 with birdie at the 180-yard par three 13th hole.

He capitalised on a brilliant tee shot, making a four-metre putt for birdie — and making Brooks Koepka pay for yet another missed birdie chance on the same hole.

Scott is now four-under on his round, while Koepka is -2 ... but it could easily have been two or three strokes better save for some missed putts.

Tiger Woods’ long attempt at a par putt on the 14th lipped out, leaving him two strokes back at -12.

Daniel Sankey 7.33am: Scott answers Woods

Australia’s Adam Scott rejoined Tiger Woods in a tie for second place at -13 with birdie at the 452-yard par four 12th.

But it was a case of missed opportunity for Brooks Koepka, who couldn’t convert a very makeable birdie putt on the same hole and remained at -14.

It looks like the winner will come from these three, with world number two Justin Thomas back at -11 after making a long par putt at the 15th hole.

There’s a group of four players at -10, while Australia’s Jason Day is a further two strokes back at -8 in a tie for 13th place.

Daniel Sankey 7.28am: Tiger draws to within one

Could this be Tiger Woods’ day?

The former world number one is now just one stroke off the lead after making birdie at the 18-yard par three 13th hole.

Woods pumped his fist after nailing a four-metre birdie putt that has him hot on the heels of Brooks Koepka, who’s at -14.

Daniel Sankey 7.20am: Tiger into equal second

Tiger Woods joined Australia’s Adam Scott at -12 with a brilliant birdie at the par four 12th hole ... but he had to wait to enjoy the putt.

Greenkeepers were called in to repair the hole after the approach of Gary Woodland struck the lip.

After a delay of more than five minutes, both Woods and Woodland made their birdie putts to move up the leaderboard. Halfway-mark leader Woodland is now in a tie for 10th at -9.

World number two Justin Thomas faltered at the par four 14th hole, a bogey dropping him to fourth place at -11.

Daniel Sankey 7.05am: Scott into equal second

Australia’s Adam Scott moved into a tie for second at -12 with birdie at the 508-yard par four 10th hole.

Scott, who nailed a long birdie putt at the 10th, is now just two shots behind his playing partner in this final round, American Brooks Koepka. Also at -12 are world number two Justin Thomas and Belgian suprise packet Thomas Pieters.

Fourteen-time major winner Tiger Woods remains right in the hunt at -11.

Daniel Sankey 6.44am: Koepka extends his lead

Two-time US Open champion Brooks Koepka extended his lead to two strokes with a brilliant birdie at the 433-yard par four 9th hole.

Koepka hit a brilliant approach to within three metres and sank the birdie putt to move to -14, two shots ahead of Justin Thomas and Belgium’s Thomas Pieters, who made consecutive birdies on the 14th and 15th holes to climb to -12.

Australia’s Adam Scott remains tied for fourth at -11 with Tiger Woods, while Jason Day dropped a shot at the 10th to fall back to -8.

Daniel Sankey 6.35am: Scott, Woods move to -11

Australia’s Adam Scott and fourteen-time major winner Tiger Woods are now just one stroke from the lead after birdies at the 8th and 9th holes respectively.

Scott tapped in from close range on the 610-yard par five 8th, which has given up a host of birdies this morning, while Woods nailed his birdie putt on the 433-yard par four 9th.

Justin Thomas moved into a share of the lead with Brooks Koepka at -12 after consecutive birdies at 10 and 11 ... but Koepka regained the outright lead, moving to -13, when he matched the birdie of his playing partner Scott at the 8th.

Aussie Jason Day remains in a tie for seventh at -9 through nine holes.

Daniel Sankey 6.19am: Woods back to -10

A brilliant bunker shot set up a tap in birdie for Tiger Woods at the 610-yard par five 8th hole, taking the 14-time major winner into equal third position at -10.

He’s now just two shots behind leader Brooks Koepka.

Daniel Sankey 6.13am: Scott within two of lead

Australia’s Adam Scott moved into equal second on the leaderboard with birdie on the 394-yard par four 7th hole. He drained a four-metre putt to move to -10 — but his playing partner, Brooks Koepka, answered with a birdie of his own to extend his lead to two strokes at -12.

Scott was joined at -10 by Thomas Pieters after the Belgian birdied the 410-yard par four 14th ... just before world number two Justin Thomas birdied the 10th hole to move into outright second at -11.

Daniel Sankey 6.07am: Thomas, Koepka stumble

Disaster for world number two Justin Thomas, who looked set to move into the outright lead after leaving himself little more than two metres for birdie at the 433-yard par four 9th hole. Incredibly, though, Thomas not only missed the birdie putt — he then lipped out with his par putt and ended up with bogey.

Leader Brooks Koepka is having his own issues, dropping two shots afer bogeys at the fourth and fifth to move back to -11, one shot ahead of Thomas.

Aussies Jason Day and Adam Scott are in a massive group at -9 that includes Tiger Woods, Tyrrell Hatton, Francesco Molinari, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Thomas Pieters and Shane Lowry.

Daniel Sankey 5.37am: Day bounces back

Jason Day moved back to within four strokes of leader Brooks Koepka with birdie at the 213-yard par three 6th hole.

It was an important bounceback birdie for Day, who dropped a shot on the fifth hole. He’s now one-under on his round.

Jason Day in action during the final round of the US PGA. Photo: Getty Images
Jason Day in action during the final round of the US PGA. Photo: Getty Images

Daniel Sankey 5.30am: Day, Rahm drop back

Disappointment for Australia’s Jason Day and Spain’s Jon Rahm, who’ve both dropped back to -8 after bogeys.

Day is now even par on his round after five holes, while Rahm is +1 after four.

Tiger Woods was forced to hit out of the trees at the 521-yard par four 4th hole and could only find the greenside bunker with his second. He faces a difficult up-and-down to stay at -10, three shots behind leader Brooks Koepka.

But Justin Thomas continues to climb the leaderboard, making birdie at the 7th to move to -11.

Daniel Sankey 5.15am: Thomas gets in on the action

World no.2 Justin Thomas joined Tiger Woods in equal second place at -10, nailing a short birdie putt at the 521-yard par four 4th hole.

Rory McIlroy has just finished his final round at -2 after an even par 70. He’s 11 shots back from leader Brooks Koepka, who’s just made par at the second hole.

Adam Scott and Jason Day are both at -9.

Daniel Sankey 5.07am: Scott drops a shot

A disappointing start for Australia’s Adam Scott, who made bogey at the first hole to drop back to -9.

Chipping from just off the green at the 425-yard par four 1st, Scott left it short and couldn’t make the par putt.

It was a two-shot turnaround for Scott, with Brooks Koepka making birdie to move to -13, three shots ahead of Tiger Woods, who now holds second on his own.

Daniel Sankey 5.05am: Here comes Tiger

Fourteen-time major winner Tiger Woods has the gallery roaring early in his final round. The former world number birdied the second hole (par 4, 410 yards) to move to -9 ... then stuck his tee shot on the third hole to within a metre to set up another birdie chance.

He duly sank the short putt to move to -10, just two shots behind Brooks Koepka, and is -2 on his round after just three holes.

Daniel Sankey 4.50am: Could be a great Day today

Australia’s Jason Day birdied the second hole, a 410-yard par 4, to move to equal third at -9, just three strokes behind Brooks Keopka.

Adam Scott is about to tee off in the final group of the day.

Daniel Sankey 4.38am: Thomas makes an early move

World no.2 Justin Thomas moved to within three strokes of leader Brooks Koepka with birdie at the 425-yard par 4 1st hole.

Aussie Adam Scott tees off shortly, while Tiger Woods — who surprisingly has never won a major when trailing heading into a final round — has just put his tee shot on the first into a fairway bunker.

Jason Day has just played the first hole, missing a birdie putt. He’s at -8.

4am: Aussie Smith blitzes final round

The first two groups are done with their final rounds at the PGA Championship, and yes, there are good scoring opportunities available.

Chris Stroud and Australia’s Cameron Smith each teed off early and buzzed through Bellerive at 4-under 66.

Tournament officials placed the tee box on the par-4 11th hole way up, at 294 yards, to make it drivable. Hideki Matsuyama drove to 18 feet and made the putt for eagle. He’s at 3 under on his round with four holes left.

Shortly, Tiger Woods will try to make up a four-shot lead on Brooks Koepka, who is trying to become the fifth player in history to win the US Open and PGA in the same year.

Australia’s Adam Scott starts the day two shots behind Koepka, with Jason Day a further stroke back at -7.

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