Thomas Bjorn equals major scoring record

Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, in the depths of despair over his game a year ago, equalled the lowest score in major history with a seven-under-par 63 at the U.S. PGA Championship on Saturday.

On another sweltering day at Baltusrol Golf Club, he reeled off eight birdies and a lone bogey in a sizzling third-round performance to move into the thick of the title chase at five-under 205.

The 34-year-old Dane became the 20th player to shoot a 63 at a major championship, his score also equalling Baltusrol's Lower Course record shared by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf.

"I don't shoot low rounds very often and I've always been a guy that enjoyed playing tough golf courses, so to get out on a golf course like this and to post this kind of number is certainly something special," said Bjorn.

"I'll remember that for the rest of my life. It's a long list (of 63s at majors), but it's certainly a good list to be part of.

"I looked at the card in the dressing room and I also realised who shot 63 around here. I was quite well aware of what was going on.

"But this 63 is not about records, it's about this championship and that's all it means to me. That I got myself into position."

The Dane's 63 was the ninth recorded in the history of the tournament and the 22nd achieved in a major championship.

Two players have done so twice in majors, Australia's Greg Norman and Fiji's Vijay Singh.

Bjorn's performance marked a stunning reversal of form by a player who missed the cut in last month's British Open at St Andrews by a single stroke after a double-bogey six at the last.

The pain of that wobble, however, was minor compared to one week earlier at the European Open in Ireland where he endured, in his words, "the worst day in my golfing life".

He began the last day at the K Club four strokes clear of the field but collapsed in even worse fashion than in 2003, when he allowed the British Open at Royal St George's to slip from his grasp in the final round.

His calamitous European Open finish, which included an 11 on the 17th hole, allowed Briton Kenneth Ferrie to come from seven strokes behind to win the title by two shots.

One year earlier, at the same event, Bjorn walked off the course after only a few holes in complete disgust with his game. At the time, there was talk of him considering quitting the game.

Those low points, however, have forced Bjorn to spend a lot of time thinking about the direction he wanted to take with his game and last month he decided on a swing overhaul which already appears to be paying dividends.

"I made the decision on the Friday night of the British Open," said Bjorn, who clinched his eighth European Tour title with a playoff victory over David Howell at the British Masters in May.

"When I stood on that 18th tee and I had to make five to make the cut and hit it out of bounds and then made six, then you've got to make the decision that what you're doing probably isn't good enough.

"I went on holiday with my family for about two weeks and then I went to London and worked with my coach and made some big decisions.

"I get a lot of mental strength by believing in my golf swing and I haven't believed in my golf swing for a long time.

"But I've worked hard on my swing over the last two weeks and today the changes felt comfortable for the first time in a long time. It was nice to go out and shoot that kind of number.

"It hasn't been more than a couple of weeks I've been at it, so it's still pretty new. We'll see if it lasts."

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