Koepka has commanding lead at the PGA Championship
Brooks Koepka set a new record en route to a seven-stroke lead following the second round at the PGA Championship .
A day after a course-record 63 at Bethpage Black, the American carded five-under-par 65 to post the lowest score for the first 36 holes in major championship history.
At 12-under 128, he also secured the biggest ever halfway lead at a PGA Championship.
Koepka had started the day one stroke ahead but ended it surely two solid rounds from becoming the first player to hold back-to-back PGA Championship and U.S. Open titles at the same time.
Koepka, however, said Friday's round was still a struggle.
"This probably sounds bad, but today was a battle," he said. "I didn't strike it that good.
"I was leaking a few to the right but the way I hung in there today and battled it, I think that was probably more impressive than yesterday, not having your 'A' game but still being able to shoot a great score.
"I was very, very pleased with the way I played today."
Grand slam-seeking Jordan Spieth (66) and Adam Scott (64) were equal second on five-under, with world number one Dustin Johnson (67) part of a group eight behind.
Tiger Woods missed the cut in his first start since winning the Masters a month ago, putting poorly in the first round and driving badly in the second to record a five-over 145 score.
Playing in the same group as Koepka, 43-year-old Woods looked a shadow of the man who memorably grabbed a 15th major title at Augusta National.
Woods was certainly impressed by Koepka.
"He's driving it 330 yards in the middle of the fairway," Woods said. "He's got nine-irons when most of us are hitting five-irons, four-irons, and he's putting well.
"That adds up to a pretty substantial lead, and if he keeps doing what he's doing, there's no reason why he can't build on this lead."
Published: by Radio NewsHub