FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, June 18th, 2017

NOTABLE QUOTES: GOLF CENTRAL LIVE FROM THE U.S. OPEN – SUNDAY PRIMETIME – KOEPKA WINS 2017 U.S. OPEN

Golf Channel Notable Quotes
Golf Central Live From the U.S. Open (primetime)
Sunday, June 18, 2017
Erin Hills
Erin, Wisconsin 

On Brooks Koepka, 2017 U.S. Open champion at 16-under par (5-under par 67 on Sunday)
Rich Lerner – “We said earlier in the week that Brooks Koepka was like the quarterback with all the tools. Cannon for an arm and strong in the pocket. Just needed a little seasoning. Today, Koepka won the Super Bowl by two touchdowns.”
Lerner – “No drama. No doubt. Brooks Koepka wins at Erin Hills.”
Brandel Chamblee – “What Brooks Koepka did today was U.S. Open style of golf. No one has ever done what Brooks Koepka did this week. No one has ever hit is as far, as straight, or hit as many greens. It was just a monumental achievement.”
David Duval – “To finally break through is an amazing experience. As a player, it is a bit surreal. To climb that mountain and put your name amongst the greats of the game, and to do it in the manner that he did I think is as impressive as anything we’ve seen.”
Duval – “Technique, poise, comfort and confidence. All things you look for in a major champion.”
Nobilo – “This golf course was going to establish a star and it did.”
Nobilo – “Over two weeks ago I spoke with one of the course designers, Ron Whitten. I asked if he could give an estimation on what the winning score might be here. He said, ‘If the wind blows, 4-under. If the wind doesn’t blow 16-under.’ Ron Whitten, one of the designers, was absolutely right.”
Duval – “What he did was he went out in the highest pressure position you can be in, trying to chase down a major championship, and he removed that pressure by relying on his work, his sound mechanics, hitting the golf ball into play and putting it onto the green. He removed stress.”
Nobilo – “At 27, the upside is tremendous. He has so many physical tools. Brooks now has a chance to set himself apart.”
Tim Rosaforte – “Although he felt he was an underachiever on the PGA TOUR, I don’t think too many people were surprised with this win for a lot of reasons.”

Brooks Koepka speaking with Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis following his victory
Brooks Koepka – “We stuck to the game plan. What we’ve done all week, it has kind of worked, so I figured just stick with that. Obviously you can see leaderboards everywhere. They are on every hole. I knew where I stood, but you‘ve got to stay in the moment and I did a good job with that.”
Koepka – “I felt like I was playing some of the best golf I’ve ever played. Striking it unbelievably. I was putting it great. Speed control was pretty good and I was flighting the ball, which helps today, especially in the wind. All around, my game was pretty solid all week. If you can go all week in the U.S. Open without a double bogey that’s pretty good. 

On Dustin Johnson’s phone call to Koepka last night
Koepka – “Meant a lot. He told me if I keep doing what I’m doing and stick to the game plan then I’m going to win. I thought about that phone call on 14 today. I thought about that and tried not to get ahead of myself, stay patient and it worked.” 

First thoughts when he realized he was U.S. Open Champion
Koepka – “How cool this is. There really are no words to describe it. It is an awesome feeling. To do this on Father’s Day is pretty neat. I’m sure my dad is…this will make up for the card I didn’t get him.”

On Brian Harman, T2 at 12-under par (even par 72 on Sunday)
Nobilo – “Through the course of 72 holes that spread of 40 or 50 yards is going to be almost insurmountable. The precision required when you are playing from so much further back is tough to overcome.”
Nobilo – “What he did today on a windy day, you couldn’t really expect that much more. He was playing a different type of game. To think at the beginning of the week that the short, straight hitter was going to be the outlier. Hats off to him. To lose by four against a record and against a power hitter is just tremendous.”
Chamblee – “Inside he had it. He had everything he needed to be a U.S. Open champion. He was just up against somebody who had a clear advantage over him.”
Duval– “He proved that he has the guts, he has the game, he has the temperament and he has the will to compete, knowing he is giving up so many yards.”
Duval – “You are not going to see much more of a gutty performance than you saw from Brian Harman today. He gave it his all. I agree with him, there aren’t moral victories in it. There really aren’t. It stings. It hurts. He had the game and he had every intention to do it, he just got beat by a guy who played better this week.”

On Hideki Matsuyama, T2 at 12-under par (6-under par 66 on Sunday)
Duval – “Impressive day of golf today from Matsuyama.” 

On Rickie Fowler, T5 at 10-under par (even par 72 on Sunday)
Chamblee – “All that is lacking from Rickie Fowler right now is clutch play at a clutch moment.”
Duval – “This weekend, he just didn’t hit it well enough. You’ve got to give yourself opportunities, and he didn’t do it. He just needs to tighten it up on the weekends and he needs to give himself more chances and not put so much stress on his short game.” 

On Erin Hills
Nobilo – “I thought it was good. Credit to the USGA, they resisted making it a hybrid setup by chopping it down to a par-70 to make it feel like it was U.S. Open tough. There were no crazy hole locations, there
were no crazy rulings, you just got rain.”
Chamblee – “The game of golf has changed so much that there aren’t that many golf courses that come close to allow the best players in the game to do what they do, which is hit it 320-330 yards. I thought the golf course was as close to perfect for the modern game as I have seen. The philosophy was spot on. The setup was spot on. The condition of the golf course was spot on.” 

-NBC Sports Group-