Shooting a score of 59 in a professional golf tournament is an incredibly rare feat, as it requires a player to go at least 12 under par for their round. Only 11 players have accomplished this in the history of the PGA Tour, with the first occurring in 1977. Achieving a 59 requires not only tremendous ball-striking and putting skills, but also a fair amount of luck as well. Players need to be in the zone and have everything go right during their round to even have a chance at the magical score.
The First 59
The first player to ever shoot 59 in a PGA Tour event was Al Geiberger, at the 1977 Memphis Classic. Geiberger was an established pro who had won several tournaments on Tour. In the second round at Colonial Country Club, Geiberger caught fire with his irons and putter. He carded 11 birdies and an eagle during the round, with no bogeys. His eagle on the par-5 16th sealed the historic score. Geiberger shot 59 despite there being no shot trackers or advanced stats to analyze in 1977. He simply rode a hot putter and crisp iron play to the record round.
Isaiah’s Number
It would be over two decades before another 59 was carded on Tour. The second player to accomplish the feat was Chip Beck, at the 1991 Las Vegas Invitational. Beck was known as an accurate ball-striker, and he hit nearly every green in regulation during his third round at Sunrise Golf Club. He rolled in a number of long birdie putts as well, needing only 22 putts in the round. Like Geiberger, Beck’s scorecard was blemish-free, with no bogeys to tarnish the 59. He eagled the par-5 9th hole to vault himself to 12 under par. Beck’s scorecard was filled with consistency and precision.
South Africa’s Finest
The next member of the 59 club was David Duval, in 1999 at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. Duval was the second ranked player in the world at the time, and came into the event in good form. In his final round on the Palmer Course at PGA West, Duval took apart the par-5s by reaching them in two shots and making eagle putts. He also birdied all four par-3 holes, showcasing his short iron play. Duval’s 59 came during an era when players were beginning to reach higher levels of distance and accuracy. He took advantage of ideal conditions and course setup to go low.
Golden Bear’s Protege
Paul Goydos became the fourth player to shoot 59 on Tour, at the 2010 John Deere Classic. Goydos was a long shot entering the tournament, but ended up dismantling the TPC Deere Run Course. He made just one par on the front nine, with eight birdies and an eagle. Goydos narrowly missed a birdie putt on 18 that would have made him the first 58 in PGA Tour history. Goydos was a student of Jack Nicklaus’s golf academy early in his development, and clearly learned how to go low from the Golden Bear’s teachings.
The First Hawaiian
Stuart Appleby’s 59 at the 2010 Greenbrier Classic was the first of its kind in three respects – it was the first 59 to occur on a par-70 course, the first by an Australian-born player, and the first to happen in the tournament’s final round. Appleby overcame a sluggish start with eight birdies on the back nine, including four straight closing birdies to shoot golf’s magic number. The Old White TPC course clearly suited Appleby’s game, as he hit 17 greens in regulation and required only 22 putts. He took a conservative approach early before unleashing a back nine charge to claim a place in history.
Young Gun
Russell Henley became the youngest player to shoot 59 on Tour when he accomplished the feat at the 2013 Sony Open. Henley was just 23 years old at the time, in his rookie season on Tour. He made an eagle and 10 birdies during the first round at Waialae Country Club. Henley took advantage of relatively benign conditions on a course known for yielding low scores. Outdriving the field was a key factor in his 59, as Henley averaged over 300 yards off the tee. He showed the golf world that the younger generation could put up scores once thought impossible.
Jim Furyk…Twice??
In 2013, Jim Furyk joined some exclusive company when he shot 59 at the BMW Championship. He also shot a 59 later in his career, making him the only golfer with two sub-60 rounds. His score at Conway Farms came during a bogey-free second round in which he torched the par-5s. Furyk hit all 14 fairways in regulation as well, displaying his precision and consistency. The 59 vaulted Furyk up the leaderboard and gave him momentum heading into the weekend. His second came in 2016 at the Travelers Championship.
The Comeback Kid
Hadley shot an opening round 59 during the 2014 Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club. His round included an eagle and 10 birdies with no bogeys. Hadley’s round was even more improbable considering he was an alternate entry into the tournament after struggling for most of the year. He took out aggression during his 59, hitting only 8 of 14 fairways but still knocking in putts from all over the greens. Hadley’s Cinderella story round proved that anyone can have a magical day and make history given the right circumstances.
Easy as 1, 2, 3
During the first round of the 2021 The Northern Trust, Dustin Johnson became the eleventh member of the 59 club by shooting a twelve-under par 59 at Liberty National. Johnson put on a ball-striking masterclass, hitting 21 greens in regulation and gaining over 11 strokes from tee to green. He also chipped in for eagle on the par-5 18th to finish his historic round in style. DJ’s first 59 came just two years after narrowly missing his own at the 2020 RBC Canadian Open, when he settled for a 60. Persistence and talent finally paid off for Johnson in the form of golf’s lowest score.
The Table of 59’s on the PGA Tour
| Player | Year | Course | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Geiberger | 1977 | Colonial CC | 2 |
| Chip Beck | 1991 | Sunrise Golf Club | 3 |
| David Duval | 1999 | PGA West | 4 |
| Paul Goydos | 2010 | TPC Deere Run | 1 |
| Stuart Appleby | 2010 | Old White TPC | 4 |
| Russell Henley | 2013 | Waialae CC | 1 |
| Jim Furyk | 2013 | Conway Farms | 2 |
| Jim Furyk | 2016 | TPC River Highlands | 3 |
| Justin Thomas | 2017 | Sony Open | 1 |
| Adam Hadwin | 2018 | CareerBuilder Challenge | 3 |
| Dustin Johnson | 2021 | Liberty National | 1 |
Near Misses
While eleven 59’s have been carded on Tour, there have been some famous close calls as well:
– Chip Beck shot 60 during the third round of the 1991 Las Vegas Invitational, right after his 59 the day before.
– Vijay Singh shot 60 during the third round of the 2003 Phoenix Open.
– Brandt Snedeker shot 59 during the opening round of the 2007 Funai Classic, but the course was under par 70 that day.
– Phil Mickelson missed a birdie putt on the final hole of the 2013 Phoenix Open to post 59.
– Jim Furyk also missed a 15-footer on the last hole of the 2016 Travelers to break 60 again.
– Tommy Fleetwood fired a final round 62 at the 2018 British Open when 59 was within reach.
– Branden Grace shot 60 at the 2015 British Open, the lowest score ever in a men’s major.
– Kevin Chappell missed a 10-footer on the last hole to break 60 at the 2017 BMW Championship.
So while 59 has been accomplished eleven times, it’s not for a lack of chances. The difficulty of the feat requires perfection, and one small hiccup means settling for a score a stroke or two higher.
Conclusion
Shooting 59 on the PGA Tour places a player in rarefied company. It requires a magical confluence of exemplary ball-striking, elite putting, and some good fortune. While 59 used to be unfathomable, advancements in technology and player fitness have slowly made golf’s magic number more attainable. Still, it remains an exceedingly rare accomplishment, done only eleven times in PGA Tour history. And for many of the game’s legends, like Mickelson and Woods, 59 continues to elude them and remains the final frontier left to conquer.
