With rounds of 63-65, Brooks Koepka leads the PGA Championship by a tournament-record seven shots. Here’s where things stand through two rounds at Bethpage Black, where Koepka just rewrote the record book:
Leaderboard: Koepka (-12), Jordan Spieth (-5), Adam Scott (-5), Daniel Berger (-4), Dustin Johnson (-4), Kelly Kraft (-4), Matt Wallace (-4), Luke List (-4)
What it means: Koepka is 36 holes from his fourth major title and his second consecutive PGA. His two-round total of 128 is a new major championship record by two, and his seven-shot margin through 36 holes is the largest in PGA history. With a win, Koepka would become only the second player to successfully defend at the PGA Championship in the stroke-play era (since 1958), joining Tiger Woods, who did it in 1999-2000 and 2006-07. A victory would move Koepka back atop the Official World Golf Ranking and give him three of the last five majors contested – and four of the last nine. Should Koepka somehow falter, Spieth is a PGA away from closing out the career Grand Slam and claiming his fourth major title.
Round of the day: Scott made seven birdies and a late bogey for a round of 6-under 64 and a share of second place. He holed 165 feet worth of putts, 105 which came on the first five holes. The 2011 Masters champion battled Koepka down the stretch at last year’s PGA Championship at Bellerive en route to a tie for third.
Biggest disappointment: Fresh off his 15th major victory, Tiger Woods missed the 4-over cut by one with rounds of 72-73. He hit only three fairways Friday and fell outside the number when he played Nos. 10-14 in 3 over with four bogeys and a birdie.
Brooks just beat the Masters champ by 17.
— Ryan Lavner (@RyanLavnerGC) May 17, 2019
Other notables headed home include Jon Rahm (+5), Sergio Garcia (+5), Bubba Watson (+5), Bryson DeChambeau (+6), Patrick Reed (+6), Jason Dufner (+8), and Kevin Kisner (+13).
Shot of the day: Koepka’s closing birdie at 18:
With that birdie, Brooks Koepka sets the 36-hole score record (128) in Major Championship history.#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/L5Zqr1XXla
— PGA of America (@PGA) May 17, 2019
Quote of the day: “Today was a battle. … I did not hit it very well today.” – Koepka, without a hint of irony
Oddity of the day: David Lipsky was assessed a two-shot penalty on the opening hole for being late to the first tee, turning a birdie-3 into a bogey-5. He made the cut on the number after the penalty.
Spoke to playing partner Stenson about Lipsky penalty. Apparently officials had the crowd doing a clock countdown. Lipsky ran across from the putting green but only had one foot on the steps in front of tee box. Dinged two shots but should make cut on the number.
— Will Gray (@WillGrayGolfbet) May 17, 2019