Investing.com -- Opening round leader Jimmy Walker fired a 4-under 66 at Friday's PGA Championship to enter the third round tied for the lead with Robert Streb, as both U.S. golfers stake their bid for their first major championship of their respective careers.
Walker, who is ranked 13th in the FedEx (NYSE:FDX) Cup standings, carded five birdies on his round including three straight from holes No. 12 through 14. Walker only has two bogeys over his first 36 holes, after shooting a 6-under 65 in Thursday's first round.
"It was softer (today) for sure, the ball wasn't running in the fairways as much it had been earlier in the week," Walker said. "Today, it wasn't quite running but the greens were nice and soft so if you got it in the fairway you pretty much could have done whatever you wanted with the golf ball."
Streb, meanwhile, tied a major championship record with a 7-under 63 on Friday at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey, becoming the second player this year to tie the mark at a major. Streb closed with a 4-under 30 on the front nine to join Walker with the clubhouse lead. Two weeks ago, Phil Mickelson also shot a 63 at the opening round of the British Open.
The American duo lead Jason Day and Emiliano Grillo by two shots at the 98th PGA Championship. Day, the world's top ranked player, shot a 5-under 65 on Friday to move back into contention. At one point, Day sank seven birdies in a stretch of eight holes, including four straight from holes No. 12 through 15. In total, Day finished with eight birdies on Friday, one day after struggling with his putter in the opening round.
"It was just better speed today," Day said. "I think just being able to hit it on the line I was actually seeing out there, I kind of got on fire. I really had things going on the back-nine."
British open champion Henrik Stenson is alone in fourth at 6-under, while Patrick Reed, Brooks Koepka and Martin Kaymer are tied for fifth at 5-under 135.
U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson and two-time PGA Champion Rory McIlroy both missed the cut.