The PGA Championship is one of the most prestigious competitions in golf, but what exactly is the lowest score in PGA Championship history and who holds the record?
Join us as we examine the lowest scores in PGA Championship history. This includes the lowest, 18, 36, 54 and 72-hole scores at the PGA Championship over the years.
Lowest Scores In PGA Championship History
The PGA Championship is one of professional golf‘s four majors. You have The Masters in April, the PGA Championship in May, the US Open in June and finally the Open Championship in July. These are the four biggest tournaments in world golf. Period.
When it comes to setting records, low rounds in the 60’s are fairly rare at each of these majors. Some fans would argue certain majors are more difficult than others, but at the end of the day really low rounds in majors simply aren’t meant to happen.
The courses are generally more difficult for majors, where players are faced with longer courses, narrower fairways, more treacherous rough, tough greens and incredibly difficult greens.
This is certainly the case when it comes tot he PGA Championship. With the 107th PGA Championship just around the corner, the second major of 2025, here at SportsLens we have examined the lowest scores in PGA Championship history.
Below you will find out all you need to know about the lowest scores ever recorded at the PGA Championship golf tournament since it’s inception.
This includes the lowest 72-hole scores that have resulted in winning the tournament, as well as the lowest 18-hole, 36-hole and 54-hole PGA Championship scoring records too.
So without further ado, here are the lowest ever scores in PGA Championship history over the years.
PGA Championship Lowest 72-Hole Tournament Scores
Xander Schauffele’s triumph last year at the 106th PGA Championship at Valhalla is now officially the lowest PGA Championship score in history.
The previous lowest 72-hole record belonged to Brooks Koepka, who set quite the record en route to winning the 2018 PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club.
On that occasions, Koepka got the job done in just 264 stokes. This consisted of rounds of 69, 62, 66 and 66 shots on each of the four rounds.
However, that record was broken in 2024 at Valhalla with Schauffele’s triumph at the 106th PGA Championship. Schauffele’s 263 strokes (62, 68, 68 and 65) is now the lowest 72-hole score in PGA Championship history.
Bryson DeChambeau’s second place finish at Valhalla in 2024 puts him in a tie for the second lowest 72-hole score in PGA Championship history, despite not going on to lift the Wanamaker Trophy.
David Toms’ 72-hole of 265 is the next best from the 2001 PGA Championship, with Tiger Woods’ 266 strokes at the 2018 PGA Championship, where he came second to Koepka, making up the rest of the Top 5.
It is worth noting that Phil Mickelson (2001) and Jimmy Walker (2016) have both recorded scores of 266 over 72-holes at the PGA Championship, tying with Woods in the Top 5.
Lowest 72-Hole PGA Championship Scores – Top 5
| Strokes (To Par) | Player | Scores | Year/Course |
| 263 (-21) | Xander Schauffele | 62 – 68 – 68 – 65 | 2024 (Valhalla) |
| 264 (-16) | Brooks Koepka | 69 – 63- 66 – 66 | 2018 (Bellerive CC) |
| 264 (-20) | Bryson DeChambeau | 68 – 65 – 67 – 64 | 2024 (Valhalla) |
| 265 (-15) | David Toms | 66 – 65 – 65 – 69 | 2001 (Atlanta Athletic Club) |
| 266 (-14) | Tiger Woods | 70 – 66 – 66 – 64 | 2018 (Bellerive CC) |
PGA Championship Lowest 18-Hole Scores
Just two men have ever shot lower than 63 strokes ain PGA Championship history. Both Xander Schauffele and Shane Lowry shot a score 62 over 18-holes at the 106th PGA Championship at Valhalla in 2024.
After that, just 17 players in history have posted a 63 in the tournament’s history. This includes some huge names in world golf such as Gary Player, Tiger Woods, Raymond Floyd and Brooks Koepka to name but a few.
The first round of 63 came back in 1975, with Bruce Crampton setting the record with a seven-under par Round 2 at Firestone. The last player to match Crampton, prior to Schauffele and Lowry beating the 18-hole PGA Championship scoring record, was Bubba Watson in 2022.
Lowest 18-Hole PGA Championship Scores – Top 20
| Strokes (To Par) | Player | Round | Year/Course |
| 62 (-9) | Xander Schauffele | Round 1 | 2024 – Valhalla |
| 62 (-9) | Shane Lowry | Round 3 | 2024 – Valhalla |
| 63 (-7) | Bruce Crampton | Round 2 | 1975 – Firestone |
| 63 (-7) | Raymond Floyd | Round 1 | 1982 – Southern Hills |
| 63 (-9) | Gary Player | Round 2 | 1984 – Shoal Creek |
| 63 (-8) | Vijay Singh | Round 2 | 1993 – Inverness Club |
| 63 (-8) | Michael Bradley | Round 1 | 1995 – Riviera |
| 63 (-8) | Brad Faxon | Round 4 | 1995 – Riviera |
| 63 (-9) | Jose Maria Olazabel | Round 3 | 2000 – Valhalla |
| 63 (-7) | Mark O’Meara | Round 2 | 2001 – Atlanta |
| 63 (-7) | Thomas Bjorn | Round 3 | 2005 – Baltusrol |
| 63 (-7) | Tiger Woods | Round 2 | 2007 – Southern Hills |
| 63 (-7) | Steve Striker | Round 1 | 2011 – Atlanta |
| 63 (-7) | Jason Dufner | Round 2 | 2013 – Oak Hill |
| 63 (-9) | Hiroshi Iwata | Round 2 | 2015 – Whistling Straits |
| 63 (-7) | Robert Strab | Round 2 | 2016 – Baltusrol |
| 63 (-7) | Charl Schwartzel | Round 2 | 2018 – Bellerive |
| 63 (-7) | Brooks Koepka | Round 2 | 2018 – Bellerive |
| 63 (-7) | Brooks Koepka | Round 1 | 2019 – Bethpage Black |
| 63 (-7) | Bubba Watson | Round 2 | 2022 – Southern Hills |
Lowest 36-Hole Scores In PGA Championship History
The lowest 36-hole score in PGA Championship belongs to two-time, back-to-back winner Brooks Koepka. The five-time major winner won both the 2018 and 2019 PGA Championship, with his second Wanamaker Trophy triumph the one setting the record.
The American sat on a score of 12-under-par after two rounds, having hit just 128 strokes after 36-holes. An opening round 63 was followed up by a Round 2 of 65 strokes, breaking the previous record of 130 shots that Gary Woodland achieved in 2018 at Bellerive.
Xander Schauffele sat on a score of -12 after 36-holes last year at Valhalla at the 106th PGA Championship, making this the tired second lowest 36-hole score in PGA Championship history.
Collin Morikawa (2024) and Hal Sutton (1983) make up the Top 5. There are also 10 other players who have recorded scores of 131 after 36-holes at the PGA Championship.
These include Will Zalatoris, Kevin Kisner, Robert Streb, Jimmy Walker, Jason Dufner, David Toms, Shingo Katayama, Mark O’Meara, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh.
Lowest 36-Hole PGA Championship Scores – Top 5
| Strokes (To Par) | Player | Scores | Year/Course |
| 128 (-12) | Brooks Koepka | 63 – 65 | 2019 – Bethpage Black |
| 130 (-12) | Xander Schauffele | 62 – 68 | 2024 – Valhalla |
| 130 (-10) | Gary Woodland | 64 – 66 | 2018 – Bellerive |
| 131 (-11) | Collin Morikawa | 66 – 65 | 2024 – Valhalla |
| 131 (-11) | Hal Sutton | 65 – 66 | 1983 – Riviera |
Lowest 54-Hole Scores In PGA Championship History
The lowest 54-hole scores in PGA Championship history, with three rounds of major championship golf having been played, are an example of elite performance on the course.
Although the tournament is not won after 54-holes, being in contention and at the top end of the leaderboard gives a player every chance of going on to win the trophy.
When it comes to the PGA Championship, no one has scored better though three rounds than David Toms. The American took just 196 shots (-14) at Atlanta Athletic Club back in 2001 with rounds of 66 and two 65’s.
Ernie Els is the only man who has recorded a 54-hole score of 197 strokes. The South Africa did this at the 1995 PGA Championship at Riviera with rounds of 66, 65 and 66.
Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka (twice), Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa are next in line with 54-hole PGA Championship scores of 198.
Lowest 54-Hole PGA Championship Scores – Top 5
| Strokes (To Par) | Player | Scores | Year/Course |
| 196 (-14) | David Toms | 66 – 65 – 65 | 2001 – Atlanta Athletic Club |
| 197 (-16) | Ernie Els | 66 – 65 – 66 | 1995 – Riviera |
| 198 (-12) | Phil Mickelson | 66 – 66 – 66 | 2001 – Atlanta Athletic Club |
| 198 (-12) | Brooks Koepka | 69 – 63 – 66 | 2018 – Bellerive |
| 198 (-15) | Xander Schauffele | 62 – 68 – 68 | 2024 – Valhalla |
