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CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- Brooks Koepka has won back-to-back U.S. Opens and collected more than $4 million in prize money for those two victories alone. In just more than five years on the PGA Tour, he has made more than $17 million in prize money. Coming to Scotland reminds Koepka of a different time when he was a professional playing for money -- and not in possession of much of it. "I didn't have any options, really many, when I turned pro except to come over here and play," Koepka said Tuesday at Carnoustie, where he will play in his fifth Open starting Thursday. "And I know I've said this a million times: It was the most fun I've ever had playing golf. Probably the funnest time of my life coming over here and playing. I enjoyed it way more than I probably do now playing on the tour." Koepka, 28, turned pro in 2012 after graduating from Florida State. Unable to make his way on the PGA Tour or even the Web.com Tour in the United States, he embarked on an odyssey of travel on the Challenge Tour, the developmental circuit for the European Tour. Along the way, he won the Scottish Hydro Challenge five years ago. It was his third victory of the year and earned him a promotion to the European Tour. From there, he won the Turkish Airlines Open and eventually made his way to the PGA Tour. Now he is a three-time winner, including last month's U.S. Open at Shinnecock. And he's ranked fourth in the world. It's a long way from sharing hotel rooms and traveling to some odd places. Koepka won tournaments in Italy, Spain and Scotland to earn his European Tour promotion and along the way played in countries such as England, France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, South Africa, Kenya and Portugal. He estimates that he has played in 21 countries. "In the States, you've got a group of seven or eight guys and just kind of have your team and other people you're around; wife, girlfriend, guys go home to them," he said. "You don't see guys coming out for dinner, watching the football matches, things like that. It was a bunch of fun. I really enjoyed it. It was by far the most exciting time in my life."
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