Hiroshi Iwata ties Major record at Whistling Straits with second-round 63

Hiroshi Iwata wrote himself into the record books with a 9-under-par 34-29=63 in his second round at the 97th PGA Championship.

There have now been 27 rounds of 63 in major championship history.

“On the back nine, after number 13, I was thinking that I’m going to shoot 27”, a smiling Iwata, speaking through an interpreter, told reporters after storming home in seven-under 29.

Conditions are flawless on Friday morning. Iwata is at 4-under 140 for the tournament, three shots behind clubhouse leader David Lingmerth.

Just two months ago, Iwata shot a 10-under 62 in the second round of the Thailand Open. Two golfers – Vijay Singh and Greg Norman – both shot 63 on two occasions.

Iwata, a veteran of the Japan Golf Tour, almost chipped in to set the record on No. 18.

He is not a complete stranger to the big time, having contended at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai last November, where he finished one shot out of a playoff.

“In Japan, I don’t shoot a long iron a lot, but here I have to”, he said. The previous one was by Jason Dufner at the PGA in 2013 at Oak Hill Country Club.

“I felt like tee to green I hit the ball pretty well, I’m probably just not as sharp with the short game as I would like to be”, said McIlroy, who is playing his first tournament since the US Open in June after seven weeks out due to an ankle ligament injury suffered while playing football with friends.

Iwata had eight birdies and an eagle Friday.

“I don’t know if it’s rust or I just didn’t putt well, so maybe just work on that a little bit before I tee off tomorrow and it would be great to hole a few more putts, because I feel like I’m giving myself plenty of chances”.