Michael Kim etched his name into golf history on Friday afternoon, becoming only the 15th player ever to card a sub-60 round on the PGA Tour. This insane 59 at the 3M Open in Minnesota, a staggering 12 under par for the day, catapulted him to a 14 under total, giving him the lead after just two days. Talk about making a statement!
How You Pull Off a 59
Kim’s round was nothing short of a masterclass. He wasn’t just good; he was flawless, sinking exactly 12 birdies and making six pars, with not a single bogey or eagle needed. He was locked in, shooting an identical -6 on both the front and back nines. The man’s putting game was otherworldly, needing just 21 putts across 18 holes. Seriously, 21 putts! The highlight reel moment came on the 18th, a clutch 24-footer to secure that legendary 59. Kim knew what was at stake, telling himself, “this is the moment to get into the history books and let’s go for it.” That kind of aggressive mindset, knowing you’re on the brink of something special and seizing it, that’s what legends are made of. His scorecard tells the story: five straight birdies from holes 3-7 put him on the radar, then after parring three of the first four on the back nine, he birdied every single remaining hole to seal the deal. Unreal.
What This Means for Kim’s Season
This isn’t just a flash in the pan; this could be the turning point for Kim’s year. While he’s shown flashes of brilliance, like his runner-up finish at the Valero Texas Open, he’d missed the cut in each of his last three starts. Coming out and dropping a 59 after a recent slump? That’s the definition of bouncing back, big time. This isn’t a common feat either, it’s the fourth sub-60 round in the last three years, and it comes a year after Jake Knapp last did it. Kim is now one of only 15 players in PGA Tour history to hit that mark.
Where Kim’s 59 Ranks in the All-Time Greats
When you talk lowest scores, Jim Furyk still holds the crown with the only 58 ever shot on the PGA Tour, a -12 on a Par 70 back in 2016. But Kim now joins an elite club of 59-shooters. What’s even wilder? Four of the players who’ve shot 59 did it on a Par 72 course, meaning their score was -13, one shot better than Furyk’s record-setting 58 from a strokes-under-par perspective. Furyk is the only golfer with two sub-60 rounds to his name. Kim has entered rarified air.
What’s next for Michael Kim? He’s sitting pretty at 14 under, leading the 3M Open. After that historic Friday, can he keep this momentum rolling and finish what he started, cementing this incredible performance with a tournament victory? We’ll all be watching to see if he can.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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