CJ Cup: Brooke Koepka wins to become world number one
Brooks Koepka closed out victory in the CJ Cup at Jeju Island in South Korea to become world number one for the first time.
Leaderboard
-21 B Koepka
-17 G Woodland
-15 R Palmer, R Cabrera Bello
Day four report
Three-time major winner Brooks Koepka closed out victory in the CJ Cup at Jeju Island in South Korea to become world number one for the first time.
The four-shot success over compatriot Gary Woodland, who charged up from five strokes behind to briefly share the lead at the turn, was the American's third of the year - the others being the US Open and USPGA.
He will displace Ryder Cup team-mate Dustin Johnson, who did not play this week, when the rankings are officially confirmed on Monday.
"To be world number one is something I dreamed of as a kid and I don't think this one's going to sink in yet," he told his post-round press conference.
"Everything I've done this year it's been working. So I don't want to change anything. Just keep improving. I'm so excited right now, you have no idea. I can't wait to go play again."
Koepka began the day with a three-shot lead but by the time he had reached the turn one-under for his round with three birdies and two bogeys he had been joined at the top by Woodland.
His fellow American had six birdies in seven holes on the front nine and four birdies in his next seven holes kept pace with Koepka but he bogeyed the par-three 17th and even though he gained that shot back at the last for a nine-under round of 63 his 17-under total did not look enough to keep his rival at bay.
So it proved as Koepka chipped in from 70-feet for birdie at the 16th and holed a 25ft eagle putt at the last to card a round of 64 for a 21-under total.
"I'm not somebody who's going to panic if things go the wrong way," added Koepka of his slow start.
"I felt like the one (birdie) at 15 was quite big with Gary making a charge."
Ryan Palmer also made a late charge as he birdied his last seven holes to shoot a course-record 62 and finish in a tie for third place with Rafa Cabrera Bello four shots off the lead.
Day three report
Brooks Koepka carded a flawless five-under-par 67 to claim a commanding four-shot advantage after the penultimate round of the CJ Cup at Jeju Island in South Korea.
The three-time major winner was able to negotiate a tricky few opening holes before kickstarting his third round with back-to-back birdies around the turn.
He collected further gains at the 14th, 17th and 18th to move to 13 under overall ahead of the final 18 holes, with Ian Poulter and halfway leader Scott Piercy his closest challengers.
Koepka will have his sights set on a fifth PGA Tour title on Sunday - and, remarkably, his first in a non-major since February 2015 when he triumphed at the Phoenix Open.
Ryder Cup star Poulter has an outside chance of clinching his second title of the year after birdies at three of his final four holes.
Poulter, who triumphed in Houston in April after defeating Beau Hossler in a play-off, bounced back from his only bogey on the fourth hole with a birdie on the ninth.
He thrived on the back nine thanks to further birdies on the 12th, 15th, 16th and 18th which helped him card a four-under 68.
Piercy sits alongside the Englishman after an eventful level-par 72, in which he followed up five birdies with as many bogeys.
Spain's Rafa Cabrera Bello is among six players who sit on eight under, while former world number one Jason Day lies a shot further back.
Paul Casey will have his sights set on at least a top-10 finish after shooting up the leaderboard with a six-under 66 on Saturday.
Day two report
Scott Piercy holds a one-shot lead after the second round of the CJ Cup in Korea, with Brooks Koepka in second place as he chases the world number one ranking.
Three-time major winner Koepka can reach top spot in the rankings for the first time with victory. A solo second-place finish would also be enough assuming current world number four Justin Thomas doesn't win the event.
American Piercy picked up four birdies on the front nine as he shot a 65 to sit nine under, one stroke ahead of compatriot Koepka in the £7.2million event.
An eagle three at the 18th helped Koepka also sign for a seven-under round - which could have been better but for a bogey at the par-five ninth.
Defending champion Thomas, knowing a win would lift him back to world number one, improved slightly after his opening 73 to move to one under after a second round of 70 - but sits eight shots off the lead.
Ian Poulter, who helped drive Europe to Ryder Cup success, is in fourth place after his 69.
The Englishman had struggled early on after dropping two shots in the opening three holes before recovering them to head into the turn at even par for the day.
Further birdies on the 12th, 14th and at the par-five last helped keep Poulter right in contention heading into the weekend.
Sweden's Alex Noren raced up the leaderboard with another blemish-free seven-under round to also sit at five under.
Overnight leader Chez Reavie dropped back to third after his 70, with successive bogeys over the closing holes proving costly.
Friday's best round came from Brian Harman, the American producing a strong finish with four straight birdies to sign for a 64 and climb up to a tie for sixth place, some five shots off the lead.
England's Paul Casey hit a hole-in-one at the par three seventh, but then sank four bogeys in his 73 to drop down to tied for 30th.
Former Masters champion Danny Willett had been just a shot off the lead at the start of the day. However, a five-over 77 - which included a double-bogey at the fifth - saw him fall out of contention.
Round one report
Former Masters champion Danny Willett is just a shot off the lead after the opening round of the CJ Cup in Korea, where Chez Reavie holds the lead.
Willett carded five birdies and two bogeys in an opening 69 at Nine Bridges on Jeju Island, with American Reavie setting the pace on four under thanks to five birdies and a solitary bogey in his 68.
It was a promising start for followers of Ben Coley's tipping column with 66/1 selection Si Woo Kim alongside Willett in second (now 12/1 with Sky Bet), 40/1 selection Byeong Hun An (now 14/1) a shot further away in tied fourth, alongside 125/1 Austin Cook (40/1). Jimmy Walker fired an even-par 72. He was another 125/1 tip and is now 66/1.
Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter is another to sit a shot behind Willett on two under, with Le Golf National team-mate Paul Casey and former US Open champion Graeme McDowell on one under in the £7.2million event.
Defending champion Justin Thomas struggled to an opening 73 which included two bogeys and a four-putt double bogey on the fourth.
Only 18 players in the 78-strong field broke par in cold, windy conditions, with Tyrrell Hatton's adventurous level-par 72 featuring a triple bogey, a double bogey, four birdies and an eagle on the par-five ninth, his final hole.
Willett reached a career-high of ninth in the world after claiming his first major title at Augusta National in 2016, but had slumped outside the top 450 earlier this year after suffering numerous injuries and a loss of form.
A missed cut in the French Open was his ninth in 12 events in 2018, but the 31-year-old from Sheffield bounced back to finish sixth in the Irish Open, 19th in the Scottish Open and 24th in the Open Championship.
That result at Carnoustie was his best finish in any major since the 2016 Masters, although he missed the cut three weeks later in the US PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club.
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