Ten birdies, two eagles, and an ace: Golfer fires himself into Guinness World Records
By Alex Perry
What are they putting in the water in Oklahoma? Because that’s where the two lowest rounds of golf have been recorded and officially recognised by the Guinness World Records.
Eight years after Rhein Gibson, who currently plays on the Korn Ferry Tour, recorded golf’s first 55 at River Oaks in Oklahoma City, that score has been matched by Zander Hughes just 100 miles up the road at South Lakes in Tulsa.
Hughes, a professional who graduated from Central Oklahoma last year, opened his round in style with an ace at the 155-yard par-3 2nd, before a run of five birdies and an eagle to turn in 26.
He stumbled – in the loosest sense of the term – at the start of the back nine, with two birdies and three pars in his next five holes, before an eagle-two at the 331-yard par-4 15th and a trio of birdies to come home in 29 and card a 16-under-par 55.
Here is the scorecard that will take its place in golf history…
If you’re squinting, that’s…
Par
Eagle
Par
Birdie
Birdie
Birdie
Birdie
Birdie
Eagle
Birdie
Par
Birdie
Par
Par
Eagle
Birdie
Birdie
Birdie
Just to add to the excitement, he almost holed a chip at 18 that would have seen him take the lead outright…
He had a chip on the last hole for the world record, 54 (-17) and barely missed it. pic.twitter.com/LKt1tOJeB0
— Gabe Gudgel (@gabegudgel) August 28, 2020
“To do that on any golf course and record that score, it’s just pretty mind blowing,” Hughes told Golf.com.
“I always had that belief that I could maybe pursue golf as a career. Golf is such a mental game – you fight yourself all the time thinking if you can do it or if you can’t do it. Pretty much what this does is it’s just a positive boost that i can do it.
“I’m just blessed to be able to shoot a score like that and be a part of history in some sort of way. It’s very humbling.”
Lowest rounds of golf
The lowest round recorded in a competitive tournament is 57, carded by Irishman David Carey on the Alps Tour in 2019.
The lowest round recorded on a major tour is 58, carded by Jim Furyk on the PGA Tour, Stephan Jager on the Korn Ferry Tour, and Ryo Ishikawa on the Japan Golf Tour.
Eleven players, including Furyk, have shot 59 on the PGA Tour, while Oliver Fisher is the only player to do it on the European Tour.
- Related: Players to break 60 on the PGA Tour
- Related: Meet ‘Mr 59’ Oliver Fisher
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Alex Perry
Alex has been the editor of National Club Golfer since 2017. A Devonian who enjoys wittering on about his south west roots, Alex moved north to join NCG after more than a decade in London, the last five of which were with ESPN. Away from golf, Alex follows Torquay United and spends too much time playing his PlayStation or his guitar and not enough time practising his short game.
