Si Woo Kim wasn’t thinking about birdie when he stood over a 50-foot putt on his final hole Friday in Greensboro.
He may or may not have known how deep he had gone through 17 holes at historic Sedgefield Country Club but if he could make one last putt, he’d shoot 59.
He made a great attempt, the ball looked good two feet away then lost just enough speed to narrowly miss on the left side of the hole. Still, there’s nothing like a three-inch tap-in for 60. That’s what Kim shot Friday at the Wyndham. It tied the course record and set a tournament record. The 10-under par effort got him to 12-under par after 36 holes.
“Irons and putting game were much better. I wasn’t thinking about birdie (at nine) but it was so close,” Kim said after his day that saw him hit 17 of 18 greens, use just 26 putts. In the process, he recorded a 29 on the back nine, his first of the day then 31 coming home.
Just three hours after Kim finished his round, there was a “59” alert. Former U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover was in the midst of a brilliant round of his own. He was 10-under par, making 10 birdies through 16 holes. At the 17th, he hit is approach shot within eight feet with a chance to go 11-under. He missed.
Still a birdie at the 18th would give him a 59. His drive found the left rough but he had a good enough lie to hit his approach 20 feet from the hole. Alas, his 59 bid came up two feet short. Then the strangest occurrence of the day took place. Glover missed the two-footer to equal Kim’s 60 and had to “settle” for a 61.
“Has to be the most disappointing 61 I’ve ever seen,” said commentator and former PGA champion Lanny Wadkins.
That 61 did get Glover to 10-under par, two shots back of Kim along with Kevin Na (67), Hideki Matsuyama (64) and Mr. 58 — Jim Furyk (64).
Scoring was low on the par 70. It took three-under to make the cut.
PGA champion Jimmy Walker went home early.
Rickie Fowler, trying to play his way on to the Ryder Cup team, is in at six-under par after a pair of 67s.
