What Is The Lowest Ever Score In The PGA Championship?

Brooks Koepka holds the Wanamaker Trophy and four players fist pumping

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 13 May 2024

Low rounds in the 60s are pretty rare beasts in the Major Championships – they’re not really meant to happen, not when players typically face longer courses with narrower fairways, tackle longer rough and compete in firmer conditions.

The 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla will be the 106th edition of the tournament, and so far no one has managed to go lower than 63.

Just 17 players have posted a 63 in the tournament’s history, with Brooks Koepka doing so in 2018 and ’19.

The first round of 63 came in 1975, when Bruce Crampton set the record with a seven-under during round two at Firestone.

The last player to match Crampton was Bubba Watson two years ago, when the American went super low during his second round at Southern Hills (also seven-under).

Here are the lowest ever scores in the PGA Championship (18-, 36-, 54- and 72-hole scores).

PGA Championship Lowest 18-hole Scores

Brooks Koepka Bethpage — Brooks Koepka shot a 63 en route to winning the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage

1975 Bruce Crampton - Round 2, 63 (Firestone, -7)
1982 Raymond Floyd - Round 1, 63 (Southern Hills, -7)
1984 Gary Player - Round 2, 63 (Shoal Creek, -9)
1993 Vijay Singh - Round 2, 63 (Inverness Club, -8)
1995 Michael Bradley - Round 1, 63 (Riviera CC, -8)
1995 Brad Faxon - Round 4, 63 (Riviera, -8)
2000 Jose Maria Olazabal - Round 3, 63 (Valhalla, -9)
2001 Mark O’Meara - Round 2, 63 (Atlanta, -7)
2005 Thomas Bjorn - Round 3, 63 (Baltusrol GC, -7)
2007 Tiger Woods - Round 2, 63 (Southern Hills CC, -7)
2011 Steve Stricker - Round 1, 63 (Atlanta, -7)
2013 Jason Dufner - Round 2, 63 (Oak Hill, -7)
2015 Hiroshi Iwata - Round 2, 63 (Whistling Straits GC, -9)
2016 Robert Streb - Round 2, 63 (Baltusrol GC, -7)
2018 Charl Schwartzel - Round 2,, 63 Brooks Koepka - Round 2, 63 (Bellrive, -7)
2019 Brooks Koepka - Round 1, 63 (Bethpage State Park, -7)
2022 Bubba Watson - Round 2, 63 (Southern Hills, -7)

PGA Championship Lowest 36-hole Scores

Koepka also holds the record for the lowest 36-hole score at the PGA Championship, taking just 128 blows at Bethpage in 2019.

128 -12, 2019 Brooks Koepka - 63, 65 (Bethpage Black)
130 -10, 2018 Gary Woodland - 64, 66 (Bellerive CC)
131* -11, 1983 Hal Sutton - 65, 66 (Riviera CC)

* 10 others at 131 - Vijay Singh, Ernie Else, Mark O'Meara, Shingo Katayama, David Toms, Jason Dufner, Jimmy Walker, Robert Streb, Kevin Kisner, Will Zalatoris

PGA Championship Lowest 54-hole Scores

No one has scored better through 54 holes at the PGA Championship than David Toms, who took just 196 shots (-14) at Atlanta Athletic Club in 2001 (66, 65, 65).

196 -14, 2001 David Toms - 66, 65, 65 (Atlanta Athletic Club)
197 -16, 1995 Ernie Els - 66, 65, 66 (Riviera CC)
198 -12, 2001 Phil Mickelson - 66, 66, 66 (Atlanta Athletic Club)
198 -12, 2018 Brooks Koepka - 69, 63, 66 (Bellerive CC)
198 -12, 2018 Brooks Koepka - 63, 65, 70 (Bethpage Black)

PGA Championship Lowest 72-hole Scores

Brooks Koepka holds the Wanamaker Trophy in 2018

Koepka set quite the record en route to winning the 2018 PGA Championship at Bellerive CC, getting the job done in just 264 strokes.

264 -16, 2018 Brooks Koepka - 69, 63, 66, 66 (Bellerive CC)
265 -15, 2001 David Toms - 66, 65, 65, 69 (Atlanta Athletic Club)
266 -14, 2001 Phil Mickelson - 66, 66, 66, 68 (Atlanta Athletic Club)
266 -14, 2016, Jimmy Walker - 65, 66, 68, 67 (Baltustol)
266 -14, 2018, Tiger Woods - 70, 66, 66, 64 (Baltusrol)

Michael has been with Golf Monthly since 2008. As a multimedia journalist, he has also worked for The Football Association, where he created content to support the men's European Championships, The FA Cup, London 2012, and FA Women's Super League. As content editor at Foremost Golf, Michael worked closely with golf's biggest equipment manufacturers, and has developed an in-depth knowledge of this side of the industry. He's now a regular contributor, covering instruction, equipment and feature content. Michael has interviewed many of the game's biggest stars, including six world number ones, and has attended and reported on many Major Championships and Ryder Cups. He's a member of Formby Golf Club.