Koepka’s attempt to join Anderson’s three-peat fell short when he finished runner-up to Gary Woodland in the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Koepka also won back-toback PGA Championships in 2018 and 2019. With his victory in the 2018 PGA, he became just the fifth golfer to win the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship in the same calendar year. The other four people on that exclusive list are, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, and Woods. While Woods’ background growing up in southern California is well publicized, Koepka’s background is not so well known. Keopka is the by-product of a junior golf program at Okeeheelee Golf Course, a county owned public golf course in suburban West Palm Beach, Florida. Keopka spent countless hours as a youngster hitting balls on the driving range, practicing bunker play, stroking putts on the practice putting green, and splitting the fairways with big drives. was three until I got him his first junior set of clubs at age seven to play in a tournament at Okeeheelee. He liked golf at an early age and from age 7-12, he started showing a passion for the game, especially after I took him to the Masters at age eight. He played a lot of sports growing up like soccer, roller hockey, basketball and, mostly, baseball, until deciding at 12 he wanted to focus strictly on golf. I knew he was always a good player, but never once dreamed of him reaching the heights of winning majors and becoming one of the top golfers in the world!” Brooks’ high school golf coach, Greg Sherman, is not surprised to see Brooks succeeding on the PGA Tour. “I had the privilege and honor of coaching many fine golfers and many fine young men during my ten plus years of coaching the golf team at Cardinal Newman High School (in West Palm Beach). There were several that stood out as outstanding golfers Brooks’ memories of his time at Okeeheelee are vivid. “Growing up at Okeeheelee was a blast! We would get dropped off at 7:30 every morning and get picked up at dark. I learned how to play the game there and it will always hold a special place in my heart.” He was joined at Okeeheelee by his younger brother, Chase, also a professional golfer, currently competing on the Korn Ferry Tour. Much of the credit for Brooks’ initial interest in golf must be given to his father, Bob, himself a single handicap golfer, who first put a club in his son’s hands. “Brooks hit some of my cutdown clubs from the time he
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