Where Kurt Kitayama’s stellar 63 in PGA Championship final round ranks in golf major history

History was made at Aronimink Golf Club on Sunday afternoon. Kurt Kitayama authored up one of the greatest showings in major tournament history during the final round of the PGA Championship, putting himself in position to potentially compete for one of golf’s most venerated trophies.

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Kitayama started the day well outside of the title race. He ended it just a few strokes off the lead. In between, he produced fireworks atop the Newton Square, Penn. surface, emerging as one of the biggest stars of one of the biggest tournaments in golf.

With that, here’s what you need to know about Kitayama’s final round showing on Sunday afternoon, one of the best final round performances in major tournament history.

MORE: Lowest 72-hole scores in golf majors

Kurt Kitayama score today

Entering the final round four-over-par, Kitayama needed a historic performance if he had any chance of competing for the Wanamaker Trophy come the end of Sunday. He remains unlikely to hoist hardware at Aronimink — 10 of the top-19 have yet to tee off as of 1:45 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Still, his display is certain to live on in lore, both for the PGA Championship and major tournaments at large.

Kitayama carded a 63 during Sunday’s affair, good seven-under-par. He posted the joint-lowest final round in major history with his showcase, tying eight other golfers, including Tommy Fleetwood.

Kitayama started his day with a flourish, canning back-to-back-to-back birdies to climb up the leaderboard.

Kurt Kitayama is off and running on Sunday. 🔥

Three straight birdies to open his final round send him flying up the leaderboard at Aronimink.#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/SwaePgYnbg

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— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 17, 2026

By No. 6, he was even. All told, he finished the day with seven birdies and no bogeys. He posted the lowest score of the weekend and his best-ever score in a major round, beating the 65 he posted during the final round of the 2023 PGA Championship.

Kitayama was remarkably consistent across Aronimink’s challenging pasture. He hit the green with 17 of his 18 regulation shot attempts, putting him in position to minimize his strokes. He was especially fearsome on the putting green; Kitayama tallied 141’5″ worth of putts made during the final round. He sank five putts from at least 12 feet away, showcasing a deft touch and steady hand as he attempted to find his target.

Kurt Kitayama final round scoreboard

Lowest round at a major

Kitayama fell one stroke off the record for the lowest round in a major tournament. The record sits at 62, first set by Branden Grace during the third round of the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

Three other golfers have hit that tally in the years since Grace set the record. Xander Schauffele is the only golfer to card a 62 at multiple majors, accomplishing the feat during the first rounds at the 2023 U.S. Open and 2024 PGA Championship, respectively.

Here’s a look at the five men who have recorded 62s in major tournament history.

Lowest final round at a major

Kitayama is not the first player to card a 63 in the final round of a major championship. He’s not the second player to accomplish the feat, either. Seven golfers have hit the mark during the final round of competition, with Fleetwood doing so on two occasions: during the 2018 and 2023 U.S. Opens.

Interestingly, of all the players to record a 63 on the final day of major tournament play, just two — Johnny Miller (1973 U.S. Open) and Henrik Stenson (2016 Open Championship) — have actually gone on to win the major.

Here’s a look at all the men who have scored 63s during the final round of a major tournament.

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