Michael Kim delivered a spectacular performance on Friday at the 3M Open, posting a 12-under-par 59 that marked only the 16th sub‑60 round in PGA Tour history. The 33‑year‑old American surged to the top of the leaderboard at TPC Twin Cities, moving to 14‑under for the tournament after two rounds and establishing a three‑stroke lead. His round was a masterclass in consistency and precision, beginning with a remarkable stretch of birdies from the third through the seventh holes and concluding with an impressive four‑under finish over his final four holes.
Kim’s flawless round was highlighted by an extraordinary putting display. He sank eight putts from ten feet or more, showcasing a confidence and touch that seemed to elevate his entire game.
The climax came on the 18th hole, where he holed a dramatic 24‑foot putt for birdie, sealing his historic round and cementing his place in the record books. While his 59 ties him for the second‑lowest 18‑hole total in PGA Tour history—Jim Furyk’s 58 at the 2016 Travelers Championship remains the sole record—Kim’s achievement is nonetheless a monumental milestone. The previous low round of the 2026 season had been a 60, recorded by five different players: Blades Brown, Wyndham Clark, Si Woo Kim, Andrew Putnam, and Scottie Scheffler. Kim’s 59 not only eclipsed those scores but also placed him among an elite group of golfers who have broken the elusive 60‑stroke barrier.
His lone PGA Tour victory prior to this came at the 2018 John Deere Classic, and he expressed that the 59 felt like the culmination of everything he could muster on the course. "I putted awesome," Kim said after the round. "I feel that I got just about everything I could out of that round.
Some shots I didn't feel supremely confident over, but that's golf. I was happy I got away with par on 13.
But other parts of my game, like my putting, felt fantastic. When you hit a putt and it does exactly what you kind of envisioned before you hit it, it's an awesome feeling. Felt like that all day out there." Kim also reflected on his previous best round, which came at the 2023 Wyndham Championship, noting that achieving a 59 was "pretty cool" but also a reminder to stay grounded. He emphasized the need to maintain composure moving forward, especially with the strong competition still in the field.
"It will be important for me to not compare myself tomorrow to today's round, even if I get off to a poor start or just an OK start, to not be so disappointed that I'm not playing as well as I did today. There's a long way to go and that guy named Scottie Scheffler is probably going to throw up a good score today anyway.
Nowhere near done," Kim added. Behind Kim, a trio of players shared second place: Ben Kohles, who entered the day with a two‑stroke lead but posted a 69, Chandler Phillips with a 65, and Emiliano Grillo with a 67. Despite their solid performances, the day belonged unequivocally to Kim. World number one Scottie Scheffler, who had been a strong contender early in the tournament, slipped to a tie for 13th after a disappointing 70 on a course that was yielding low scores.
Scheffler, who had struggled with his putting the previous week, began the day at nine‑under but encountered trouble on the 14th when his approach landed in the water, resulting in a double‑bogey. A subsequent poor tee shot on the 17th led to another bogey, and a difficult second shot from a low‑lying lie on the 18th saw the ball roll 34 feet past the hole. "Just got a bad break, but that happens," he remarked.
Nevertheless, Scheffler managed a birdie on the final hole, finishing on a positive note. He acknowledged that a strong weekend would be required to capture his first victory since the Desert Classic in January. The 3M Open continues to attract attention, with live coverage available on Sky Sports Golf and streaming options without a contract.
Golf enthusiasts can also explore booking opportunities at over 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland, making the sport accessible to a wider audience. Kim’s historic 59 not only adds a thrilling chapter to PGA Tour lore but also sets the stage for an exciting conclusion to the tournament as the field battles to either chase his lead or mount a comeback in the remaining rounds.