How Brooks Koepka went from overlooked amateur to the possible heir to Tiger Woods throne

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Brooks Koepka defended his title at the PGA Championship to stake a claim as the most dominant golfer in the world.

Koepka has won three of the last five majors and four in less than two years, a run we haven't seen since Tiger Woods at his peak.

Koepka's ascent to the top was unusual, and he uses any slight he can find as motivation.

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Tiger Woods is back to winning majors, but it is a once-overlooked amateur who appears to be in a position to become the heir to Tiger's throne as this generation's most dominant golfer.

Brooks Koepka defended his PGA Championship at Bethpage Black and has now won four majors in less than two years, including three of the last five, a run we haven't seen since Tiger at his peak. While Koepka may never be as good as Tiger was, he looks poised to dominate the way Tiger did.

But it wasn't always that way. Koepka was often overlooked as an amateur and early in his pro career while several of his contemporaries received all of the headlines and accolades.

Below we take a look at Koepka's incredible journey to the top of the golf world.Koepka has athleticism in his DNA. His great-uncle is Dick Groat who played 14 years in the big leagues, was an 8-time All-Star and won the 1960 NL MVP. He was also drafted in the first round of the 1952 NBA Draft.

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Koepka's dad Robert played baseball in college and the sport was Brooks' first love. He once told Golf Digest that he wished he had played baseball instead of golf, saying: "If I could do it over again, I d play baseball 100 percent, no doubt."

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Source: Golf Digest

Brooks' younger brother Chase is also a pro golfer, following big brother's path on the challenge tour.

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See the rest of the story at Business InsiderSee Also:Brooks Koepka threw shade at his PGA Championship competitors as he explained why majors are the easiest tournaments to win11 things that make Bethpage Black, home of the 2019 PGA Championship, one of the most difficult and quirkiest courses in the world26 examples of Tiger Woods' extraordinary competitiveness

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