PGA Championship 2019: Dustin Johnson cards five birdies on first nine of second round

May 17 (UPI) -- World No. 1 Dustin Johnson ignited the Bethpage Black Course early in the second round with five birdies on his first nine holes at the 2019 PGA Championship on Friday in Old Bethpage, N.Y.

Johnson was tied for ninth after shooting a 1-under-par first round on Thursday at the major championship. He shot up to second place after carding a 3-under-par through 11 holes on Friday.

He began his scorching run after making a bogey on No. 10 to tee off his second round. Johnson then made birdie on No. 11 and par on No. 12. He carded another birdie on the 608-yard 13th hole before making par on No. 14. Then Johnson got really hot.

He made birdies on No. 15 and No. 16 before stepping onto the par-3 17th hole. Johnson hit a 197 yard shot onto the green, placing his ball 27 feet from the hole.

Johnson then stepped up and drilled the long-range right-to-left putt, closing in on leader Brooks Koepka.

Johnson turned the corner and made par on No. 1 and No. 2 to stay at 4-under as he walked to the third hole. Koepka still led Johnson by three strokes.

Koepka doesn't tee off until 1:49 p.m. on Friday, after shooting an opening-round course-record 63.