The Background
Shooting a sub-60 round is one of golf’s toughest challenges for even the best players. Indeed, only a handful have done it in the professional game. For your average club golfer, forget about it. You’re doing exceptionally well to touch those numbers even with your best nett score.
The Scene
The final round of the 2010 Greenbrier Classic, and Stuart Appleby was seven shots behind leader Jeff Overton.
He got it. Appleby carded nine birdies and an eagle for a round of 59 to win the tournament by a single stroke over Overton and record his first victory in four years on the PGA Tour.
Appleby went out in 28 and came back in 31, with three straight birdies from 16, including a two at the last, to finish 11-under-par for the day.
Appleby’s 59 was the fifth ever on the PGA Tour – and the second that year, with Paul Goydos’ shooting that magic number at the John Deere Classic.
The pair joined Al Geiberger (1977 Memphis Classic), Chip Beck (1991 Las Vegas Invitational) and David Duval (1999 Bob Hope Classic) in the history books.
The Legacy
Step forward Mr Jim Furyk. Not only did he card a 59 at the 2013 BMW Championship, he later went on to card the PGA Tour’s first ever 58, at the 2016 Travelers Championship.
In 2017, Justin Thomas and Adam Hadwin both shot 59s just a week apart to become the seventh and eighth players to go sub-60 on the PGA Tour.
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