Brooks Koepka entered Saturday at the PGA Championship with a seven-stroke lead after setting a new major record with a two-round total of 128.
The field’s only chance to get close on Moving Day was the three-time major champ coming back to the pack. Unfortunately for them, that didn’t happen.
After opening with a par, Koepka got the birdie train rolling once again, hitting a dart to 5 feet on the par-4 second hole that was so good it appeared to break the ShotTracer:
Brooks Koepka is breaking everything. 🤷♂️#PGAChamp | @BKoepka pic.twitter.com/GqgVmrDWnr
— PGA of America (@PGA) May 18, 2019
8 shot lead. 🔥#PGAChamp | @BKoepka pic.twitter.com/ZBLA8XYU5u
— PGA of America (@PGA) May 18, 2019
Koepka went flag hunting again at the par-4 fifth hole, adding another birdie after hitting his approach to inside 3 feet:
Brooks Koepka: more machine than man. 🔥#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/fFl3xSTOhW
— PGA of America (@PGA) May 18, 2019
Koepka did falter momentarily at the ninth hole, making a bogey after a missed putt from 2 feet. Despite the blemish, Koepka went out in 34 and headed to the back nine with a commanding lead.
Koepka started his inward nine with another bogey at the par-4 10th hole, but was able to rebound from his first back-to back bogeys of the week with a par on 11th hole.
Koepka finally got back on the birdie train on the par-5 13th hole. After finding trouble to the right of the fairway on both his drive and his second shot, the 29-year-old stuck his third shot to 16 feet and promptly sank the birdie putt to get back to 1 under on the day:
"He knows how good that was."
— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 18, 2019
Koepka by 6.#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/rTCcfwreOJ
Koepka gave another shot back with a bogey on the par-4 16th hole, missing an 8-footer for par, but he finished up his round with pars on 17 and 18 to get in the clubhouse with an even-par 70.
It may not have been Koepka’s best round, but he ended the day with the same lead he started it with - seven shots.
The seven-shot advantage is the largest 54-hole lead in the history of the PGA Championship.
Brooks Koepka has the largest 54-hole lead for in PGA Championship history.
— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 18, 2019
Up by 7 going into Sunday's final round. pic.twitter.com/6ZY8uvll8H