Brooks Koepka hopes to emulate Tiger Woods and win third PGA Championship title

Brooks Koepka admits it would be “pretty special” to emulate Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus by claiming a third US PGA Championship title.

Koepka will take a one-shot lead over Corey Conners and Viktor Hovland into the final round at Oak Hill, six weeks after enjoying double that advantage following 54 holes of the Masters.

The four-time major winner carded a closing 75 at Augusta National to finish second to Jon Rahm, but looks primed to claim his first major since the 2019 US PGA at Bethpage.

“It would mean a lot,” Koepka said after a second consecutive 66. “I think a major championship would mean a lot to anybody.

Koepka believes he “choked” in the Masters but has pledged it will be a different story at Oak Hill.

Asked what were the main lessons he had learned from Augusta, the former world number one added: “To just never think the way I thought going into the final round. I think that was a big thing for me.

“I won’t do it again the rest of my career. I promise I won’t show up like that tomorrow (Sunday).”

“I didn’t make great contact there,” Conners admitted. “The ball was below my feet and didn’t quite adjust for that. Wish I could have that one back.

“It was an unfortunate situation and a poor shot.

“If I could have dropped it on the side closest to the fairway I might have had a better stance there, but it was pretty clear once we took a look that it was going to be closer to the hole and had to drop no closer to the hole.

“I put myself in a difficult spot there, but you’ve just got to follow the rules.”