British Open 2017: 5 things we learned

2. Brooks Koepka isn’t a flash in the pan

Prior to the 2017 PGA Tour season, Brooks Koepka was a guy that largely seemed to be trying to find himself. He’d registered only one win on the PGA Tour in his career (the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open), and even went on the European Tour to try and find himself as a golfer. With a new fitness regimen and body, however, Koepka has turned the corner in a big way. He showed that with the U.S. Open win at Erin Hills in June, but he established himself further at the British Open.

Koepka finished tied for sixth at Royal Birkdale with a 4-under score through 72 holes. That was good for his best finish in The Open Championship in his career, beating out a previous best of tied-10th in 2015. But when you look at that in relation to the rest of his season, it’s clear that he’s becoming a viable stud on the PGA Tour.

Remembering that it’s still only late-July, Koepka already has the U.S. Open win, two second-place finishes, six top-10 finishes and eight top-25 showings to his credit in 2017. He’s ranked No. 11 in the World Golf Rankings and seventh in the FedEx Cup standings at this point. What’s more, every finish in the three majors to this point has been his career best.

A massive hitter off the tee and a player who’s coming around with the rest of his game, Koepka isn’t just a surprise U.S. Open winner. With another strong showing at the British Open, he’s confirming that he’s going to be a force in the golfing world that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.