Brooks Koepka picked up right where he left off.
A day after shooting 7-under 63 in Thursday’s opening round around Bethpage Black, Koepka again started strong Friday at the PGA Championship.
The reigning PGA champ took an aggressive line at the par-4 fourth to set up an opening birdie.
To extend the #PGAChamp lead..... pic.twitter.com/pNunK545C1
— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 17, 2019
Koepka added a second straight birdie with a 9-foot make at the par-4 second.
Brooks Koepka update: 2 holes. 2 birdies.
— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 17, 2019
😲#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/5SEuyxvToC
And Koepka extended his lead to five shots with a two-putt birdie at the par-5 fourth hole.
An easy birdie for Brooks. Leads by 5.#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/9D8eIYzkKt
— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 17, 2019
Koepka made four consecutive pars to close out his opening nine and then bogeyed the par-4 10th, his first dropped shot of the championship. But he got back to double-digits under par with this birdie at the par-5 13th.
Double digits again for Brooks.#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/dGgTs33und
— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 17, 2019
He moved six clear of the field with a birdie at No. 15.
Dear Mr. Koepka. Are you for real?
— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 17, 2019
Leads by 6. pic.twitter.com/26K3pWNfWH
And then made it back-to-back birdies with another at No. 16. At 12 under par, Koepka was seven shots ahead of second place. He bogeyed the 17th hole, but rebounded with a birdie at the last.
Brooks Koepka is staring down another major!
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) May 17, 2019
Koepka carded a second-round 65 to set a 36-hole major scoring record (128) and holds a seven-stroke lead. 😲🏆😲 pic.twitter.com/FQuhrpV3Xv
Koepka finished with a 5-under 67 and, at 12 under for the championship, was seven up on second place.