Six years ago, Jim Furyk made history in the Travelers Championship, finishing an eighteen-hole round on the PGA Tour for the first time in 58 strokes. It has been a little over 40 years since Al Geiberger, aka Mr. 59, was the first to shoot 59 shots in a PGA Tour tournament.
Furyk can therefore rightfully claim the endearing nickname of Mr. 58. When Furyk accomplished this feat in 2016, we analyzed the record lap as well as his swing. The set of essential skills not necessarily influenced by good mechanics, in addition to decades of experience have enabled him to perform in life.
Here are some curiosities about his incredible ride. Meanwhile, the fact that, up to that point, of the 613,000 rounds in PGA Tour history, Furyk’s was the lowest ever. On top of that, even though there have been four 59s since then, no one has matched it.
Jim Furyk, history
Furyk’s 58 wasn’t the first on a pro tour. Furyk joined Jason Bohn (Mackenzie Tour, 2001), Ryo Ishikawa (Japan Tour, 2003), Stephan Jaeger (Web.com Tour, 2016, the week before Furyk’s). To date also equaled by Kim Seon Jong (Japan Tour 2021) and Alejandro Del Rey (Challenge Tour 2021) Furyk took all 18 greens in regulation shots, scoring 10 birdies and an eagle, for which 24 putts were enough.
On the first nine, he finished in 27 strokes with just 10 putts, pocketing the 3 for the eagle. The Tour record belongs to Corey Pavin (26 at the 2006 US Bank Championship). Furyk was already 11 under par after the first 12 holes, thanks in part to seven birdies in a row from 6 to 12.
Experience played his part: it was Furyk himself who scored the last 59 of the PGA Tour in the third lap of the 2013 BMW Championship.
While I was commenting on it, I was sweating for him … He was also the first player (and the oldest) to play two rounds under 60 strokes! Other rounds in 59 on the PGA Tour: Al Geiberger (1977, Memphis Classic), Chip Beck (1991, Las Vegas Classic), David Duval (1999, Bob Hope Classic), Paul Goydos (2010, John Deere Classic), Stuart Appleby (2010, Greenbrier Classic), Justin Thomas (2017, Sony Open), Adam Hadwin (2017, CareerBuilder Challenge), Brandt Snedeker (2018, Wyndham Championship), Kevin Chappell (2019, A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier) and Scottie Scheffler in Northern Trust of 2020.
Furyk showed up on the first tee shot on Sunday 16 shots behind the leader, passing the cut on Friday thanks to a putt pocketed from 2.5 meters at 18 …
The hug between Furyk and Mike “fluff” Cowan at the end of lap in 58
His 58 made him recover 65 positions in the standings, bringing him just 4 strokes from the first who had yet to start for the last lap.
Just like his 59 in 2013, the feat of 58 did not lead him to victory. It was the ninth time that Furyk has hit all the greens in regulation shots.
Caddy Mike (Fluff) Cowan, for the first time had sent some photos of Jim’s swing to father and coach Mike Furyk, following the fact that his son the previous day had said that he was totally “out” of swing. Was he probably wrong?
