Ohio Golf Journal September 2018

young Brooks practicing at Okeeheelee and recall his hunger for the game. “He had a passion for golf AND HIS WORK ETHIC STOOD OUT o recalled White, “He loved to compete. He and his brother WOULD PLAY PLAY PLAY ALL day. He was always a serious player.With such great facilities AT /KEEHEELEE "ROOKS HAD AN ADVANTAGE OVER OTHER JUNIOR golfers in south Florida.” Cobick added, “Brooks was the young man YOU SAW ARRIVE ÚRST IN THE morning and was the last to LEAVE AT NIGHT "ACK THEN THE county ‘Play Pass’ did not offer range balls so Brooks played and worked on his short game all day long. People talk about HIS POWER BUT HIS SHORT GAME and putting are incredible! He was so competitive and always wanted to ‘play a game’ against anyone and everyone that would be around the clubhouse. All these were short-game related. It always amazes me now to watch HIM lPULL OFFm ALL THE DIFÚCULT shots around the green in TOURNAMENTS IN THE LAST ÚNAL holes. It’s as if I’m watching him all over again from the Okeeheelee Golf shop window years ago.” Bob Koepka also taught his two sons that winning at anything DOESNmT JUST HAPPEN )T REQUIRES focus and determination. n) ALWAYS MADE THE BOYS ÚGURE out how to win at anything and never let them win whether it was playing cards or sports. It was up to them to either physically or mentally rise up to the challenge.” Two instances stick out for Bob to indicate his oldest son had what it took to win golf tournaments. )N DURING "ROOKSm JUNIOR year of high school, he was playing in the Florida high school state championship golf tournament. His high school coach told him he was four SHOTS BACK WITH SEVEN HOLES TO play for the state championship. "ROOKS PROCEEDED TO GO ÚVE UNDER OVER THOSE ÚNAL SEVEN holes to capture the title. And again, during the 2011 5 3 !MATEUR QUALIÚER FOR Erin Hills, Chase signaled to Brooks that he was four shots behind with six to play. Brooks ÚNISHED STRONG BY CARDING ÚVE BIRDIES AND EAGLED THE ÚRST playoff hole to earn entry to %RIN (ILLS #HASE ÚNISHED AS the 2 nd alternate. 7HILE RECOVERING FROM A SEVERE LEFT WRIST INJURY THIS PAST SPRING which kept him away from THE 0'! 4OUR HE MADE AN appearance at Okeeheelee during the club’s 11 th Annual 0UTTING #LASSIC AS A GOODWILL gesture to pose for photographs, shake a few hands, and show support for other up-and-coming GOLFERS 0LUS HE BROUGHT ALONG the 2017 U.S. Open trophy. Few U.S. Open champs return to the grassroots of their greatness. n4HIS IS THE ÚRST TIME THAT THE actual U.S. Open trophy has ever been on display at our GOLF COURSE o beamed Mac Hood, manager of Okeeheelee 'OLF #OURSE Brooks is nowsolidly ensconced near the top of the world golf rankings. With his second CONSECUTIVE 5 3 /PEN WIN AT Shinnecock Hills, plus winning a Wanamaker Trophy at the 0'! #HAMPIONSHIP IN !UGUST in St. Louis, he has won three OUT OF THE LAST SEVEN MAJORS "ROOKS JOINED A VERY SELECT CLUB BY BECOMING JUST THE ÚFTH GOLFER TO WIN THE 5 3 /PEN AND THE 0'! Ohio Golf Journal