NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pennsylvania – Kurt Kitayama delivered a spectacular putting performance Sunday, firing a seven-under 63 in the final round that matched the major championship record for lowest closing score at Aronimink Golf Club.
The remarkable round made Kitayama only the second golfer to post a 63 in a PGA Championship final round, matching Brad Faxon’s achievement from 1995. Overall, he became the ninth player to record such a score in any of golf’s four major tournaments.
When reporters asked about his exceptional performance, Kitayama responded: “The putter God. I felt like I was holding the world out there. What my eye saw, that’s what the ball was doing. And that’s a good feeling. I think just the putter kind of carried me today.”
Beginning the day trailing 54-hole leader Alex Smalley by 10 strokes, Kitayama started in the fourth group and immediately made his move with three straight birdies. He maintained that momentum throughout a flawless round, adding four additional birdies without dropping a shot, bettering the tournament’s previous best score by two strokes.
His stellar performance moved him into the top 10 at three-under for the tournament, positioning him just three shots behind the lead before Smalley had even begun his final round.
Reflecting on his outstanding day, Kitayama explained: “It was kind of one of those rounds for me that the putter clicked. I was just rolling it. It was just lights out for me.”
