Michael Kim wrote his name in golf’s history books, becoming the 15th player to break 60 on the PGA Tour.
Kim shot a 59 for a course record at the 3M Open, in a round that featured 12 birdies and no bogeys. It was the round of his life, and Kim now leads the 3M Open going into the weekend.
It’s the first sub-60 round on tour since Jake Knapp at last year’s Cognizant Classic, but until 1977, no one had ever achieved this feat. It took a 12-foot putt on the final hole for Al Geiberger to become the first in the tour’s then-48-year history.
How Al Geiberger became the first player to break 60 in PGA Tour history
On Friday, June 10, 1977, during the second round of the Danny Thomas Memphis Classic, Geiberger etched his name into sports history as the first golfer to shoot a 59 in an official PGA Tour event.
Incredibly, he did it at Colonial Country Club, a grueling, par-72 monster stretching over 7,200 yards.
Geiberger, at 39 years old, started his second round on the back nine. He opened with a birdie on the 10th hole, then made six birdies on his opening nine to turn in 30. When he made the turn, Geiberger holed out for an eagle on the 500-yard par five.
Geiberger poured in four more birdies over the next seven holes. In total, his round featured 11 birdies, one eagle, six pars, and no bogeys. His total of 13-under-par 59 required just 23 putts.
On his final hole, Geiberger faced an eight-foot putt for history. He made it for a piece of history.
Just months earlier, his father had tragically died in the Tenerife airport disaster. He then produced a performance for the ages. He went on to win the tournament at 15-under-par.
Geiberger stood alone in golf’s 59 Club for 14 years before Chip Beck matched the feat in 1991. Though several players have since shot 59, and Jim Furyk eventually lowered the PGA Tour record to 58 in 2016, Geiberger’s 1977 round remains the benchmark.
It was achieved on a long par-72 course with traditional equipment. That round still stands alone as the greatest in PGA Tour history.
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