Rookie Koepka seals McIlroy’s prize

Koepka carded a flawless closing 65 at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal to finish 17 under par, one shot ahead of Ian Poulter who missed a birdie putt from six feet on the 18th to force a play-off.

Marcel Siem, Jamie Donaldson or Sergio Garcia had needed to win in Antalya and at this week’s DP World Tour Championship to have a chance of overtaking McIlroy on the money list.

And although Siem started the final round just one shot off the lead, the BMW Masters winner could only card a closing 71 to finish joint eighth, with Donaldson 19th and Garcia 25th.

Koepka, who won three times on the Challenge Tour last year to gain instant promotion to the European Tour, carded four birdies on the front nine and holed from 40 feet for another on the 10th, before a brilliant approach to the 13th set up an eagle from just eight feet.

That gave him a two-shot lead and although Poulter halved his deficit with his fifth birdie of the day on the same hole, the Ryder Cup star was unable to find another on the last despite a superb long greenside bunker shot.

Poulter, who had a six-shot lead at halfway before a third round of 75, said: “Hats off to Brooks for a great round today, obviously he’s played some superb golf there.

“The damage was done on Saturday. That, for me, is really disappointing. To have played three great rounds of golf, and just one blip on Saturday, which is a real shame.

“So you know, it’s frustrating, is what it is. There’s no other word for it. Yes, I’m going to be angry. I’ll be angry for a good few days. But that’s fine. I’ll keep myself in my own little room and have a little chat with myself and come out and win next week.”

Poulter looked to have the benefit of seeing playing partner Lee Westwood hole his birdie putt from an almost identical position on the 18th, but added: “It was probably a bad thing that I actually stood there and watched Westy’s putt, because I think he pushed it slightly and it fell in the right edge.

“I knew my putt was going to break right to left. I hit it on what I thought was right edge on a decent pace and it broke across the hole.”

Koepka follows in the footsteps of his good friend Peter Uihlein in winning on the European Tour and will almost certainly succeed Uihlein as the Sir Henry Cotton rookie of the year as well.

“It’s awesome,” said the 24-year-old. “I played well. This field is first class, some of the best players in the world, and it’s nice to get the win.

“I feel like I’ve been playing really well. Actually had a little vacation last week, which was nice, kind of recharged the batteries, didn’t touch a club. I should take more vacations.

“To jump into the top 50 in the world (he started the week 61st) and be in all the majors and I guess some of the World Golf Championships events, it will be special.”

World No 6 Henrik Stenson, who will defend his title in Dubai this week, carded a flawless closing 64 to finish third on 14 under, one shot ahead of Miguel Angel Jimenez, overnight leader Wade Ormsby and English pair Andy Sullivan and Danny Willett, from Sheffield.

Willett was tied for the lead after back-to-back birdies at seven and eight, but he then dropped three shots in four holes to fall out of contention.

Willett neverthless moves up to 26th in the Race to Dubai standings ahead of this week’s finale.

Siem was another shot back alongside Westwood after dislocating a rib while warming up in the gym before his round.

Both Matt Fitzpatrick and John Parry have made a strong start in their bid to win European Tour cards for next season.

The Yorkshire duo sit in a tie for fourth on six under par after the first two rounds of six at the final stage of Qualifying School at PGA Catalunya in Spain.

They are three shots off the lead, but more importantly, four shots ahead of those outside the top 25 who win their cards at the end of the week. Sheffield’s Fitzpatrick, playing the par-72 stadium course first, shot 70, 66.

Harrogate’s Parry, who also played the stadium course before the par-70 tour course, has posted successive rounds of 68.