PGA Championship 2013: Breaking Down Jason Dufner's Historic 63 at Oak Hill

If you were looking for your second-round leader in the PGA Championship to be smiling ear-to-ear after shooting a record-tying 63 to assume the top rung on the leaderboard, Jason Dufner is not your man.

The man from Northeast Ohio isn't a demonstrative kind of guy, even in the euphoric atmosphere of tying 23 other names in golf for the lowest round ever in a major.

But Dufner certainly was amazing Friday. He surgically took apart vaunted Oak Hill Country Club in the second round of the PGA Championship and tied the lowest score ever recorded in a major, 63.

His scorecard shows he made five birdies and an eagle and, of course, no bogeys.

The man was as sharp as he's ever been, playing in the early afternoon. He spun an approach shot 30 feet back into the cup for an eagle on the second hole, but that was just part of the story.

He swung the club all day with an ease and smoothness that’s an easy indicator that his game is clicking at its highest level.

Dufner’s putting stroke was dead-on and allowed him to zoom up the leaderboard to take a two-shot lead over the trio of Adam Scott, Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar.

In addition to the eagle on two, Dufner made a 30-footer for birdie on four, a five-footer on 11, a 10-footer on 13 and a seven-footer on 16; but left his birdie putt a couple feet short on No. 18 that would of given him a 62 for the day.

Even though he’s not been a success story for long on the PGA Tour, this isn’t his first kick at the can. He held a five-shot lead with four holes to play in the 2011 PGA Championship but stumbled badly on those last four holes and ended up in a three-hole playoff with Keegan Bradley.

He ultimately lost to Bradley but rebounded to have a great 2012 season.

As an aside, does hearing about a guy blowing a lead with four holes to go in a major championship ring any bells? Hint: Adam Scott, 2012 British Open?

Nerves, no doubt, played a part in Dufner leaving a 12-foot putt two feet short on the final hole.

''I showed a little bit of nerves there, leaving it short,'' Dufner told Golf Channel following the round. ''That's one you'd like to gun it when you have a chance at history. The history of the game is something dear to my heart. To be part of history, to be there forever, is a neat accomplishment.''

Dufner’s round not only tied the best round ever in major championship history, but it also gave a couple guys named Hogan and Strange and Simpson a nice elbow to the ribs, as if to say, “Move over, boys.”

Those three held the competitive course record of 64 at Oak Hill (Webb Simpson joining that elite company earlier Friday).

For Dufner, that was a secondary consideration. His attention was focused on those numbers, 63 and 62, as the day progressed.

Sure, at some point in the future, he’ll look at that course record with great pride.

Right now, he knows he’s in position to win that major championship he let slip through his fingers in 2011.

He also knows the way to play this tough course that has been rendered virtually helpless by heavy rains.

Following up a great round with another really good round is a very difficult thing to do under the pressure of a major.

The pressure will be doubly heavy on  Dufner tomorrow, because he’s not only trying to stay at the top of the leaderboard and make a run at the title, but he’ll be trying to put up a second straight low number.