PGA Championship: Brooks Koepka claims fifth major golf title

May 21 (UPI) -- Brooks Koepka sank four birdies on the back nine to fend off Scottie Scheffler and Victor Hovland en route to the Wanamaker Trophy, capturing his fifth major at the 2023 PGA Championship on Sunday in Rochester, N.Y.

"This is incredible," Koepka said on the CBS broadcast from Oak Hill Country Club. "I look back at where we were two years ago. I'm just so happy. This is just the coolest thing."

Koepka, who finished 9-under for the tournament, became the 20th player to win at least five major titles. He turned in a 3-under 67 over his final 18 holes on the East Course.

Koepka totaled seven birdies and made bogey four times in the final round for the $2.7 million prize and his third PGA Championship title.

Scheffler and Hovland were 7-under through 72 holes and tied for second.

"I thought I handled myself pretty well today," Hovland said. "It's unfortunate. I don't feel like I gave it way.

"Brooks played awesome golf today. He made a lot of putts, hit a lot of great shots and deserved to win."

Cam Davis, Kurt Kitayama and Bryson DeChambeau tied for fourth at 3-under. Rory McIlroy and Sepp Straka tied for seventh at 2-under.

Cam Smith, Patrick Cantlay and Justin Rose tied for ninth at 1-under.

Koepka started the tournament Thursday with a 2-over 72 in the first round. He fired matching 4-under par 66s Friday and Saturday to climb to the top of the leaderboard.

He started the final round with a one-stroke lead on the field. Koepka made par on No. 1. He went on to birdie his next three holes.

Koepka made par again on No. 5, but bogeyed three of his next six holes. Those blunders allowed Hovland to cut the lead to one stroke.

Koepka then made four birdies over a seven-hole span on the back nine to create a cushion. He sufferer a bogey on No. 17 and made par on No. 18 to clinch the victory.

Scheffler totaled six birdies. He was 4-under on the back nine for a final-round 65. Hovland carded five birdies for his final-round 68. He made double-bogey on No. 16 to end his rally.

With his victory Sunday, Koepka became the first LIV Golf Series competitor to win a major title since joining the PGA Tour rival league.

The PGA Tour schedule will continue with the Charles Schwab Challenge from Thursday through Sunday at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. LIV Golf Washington, D.C. will be held from Friday through Sunday at Trump National Golf Club, Washington, D.C., in northern Virginia.

The 2023 U.S. Open is the next major on the schedule. That tournament will be held June 15 to 18 at the Los Angeles Country Club.