There is no doubt that Brooks Koepka performs his best in major championships. On Thursday in the first round of the 2019 PGA Championship, Koepka was simply marvelous. His seven-under 63 tied the best ever single round score at the PGA Championship and was also a course record on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, NY.
Koepka became the first player ever to record two rounds of 63 at the PGA Championship. Remarkably, 15 other golfers have accomplished the feat since 1975.
In his 18 holes of golf on Thursday, Koepka started on the 10th hole and delivered with a birdie. He would follow with three more birdies on the back nine (12th, 14th and 18th holes) before making the turn to the first tee at a solid four under par. Then on the front nine, Koepka would get three more birdies on the first, fifth and ninth holes.
Koepka was in a star-studded threesome with Tiger Woods and Francesco Molinari. The three have combined for the last four major titles as Koepka won the U.S. Open and PGA Championship in 2018, Molinari won the 2018 British Open and Woods won the Masters. (Koepka also won the 2017 U.S. Open). While Koepka was brilliant, Woods and Molinari struggled as they were both two over par and nine strokes off the lead.
There is only one other golfer in striking distance of Koepka at the moment. That is Danny Lee of New Zealand who is in second place all alone at six under par. The nearest competitor after Lee is Tommy Fleetwood of England, who is four strokes back of Koepka at three under par.
Koepka’s last six rounds at the PGA Championship have all been in the 60’s. In the final round of the 2017 PGA Championship in Charlotte, Koepka shot a two-under par 69. That was followed by four consecutive rounds in the 60’s in winning the 2018 PGA Championship in St. Louis.
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