Michael Kim delivered a historic performance on Friday at the 3M Open, posting a 12‑under‑par 59 that became only the 16th sub‑60 round ever recorded on the PGA Tour. The 33‑year‑old American surged to the top of the leaderboard, moving to 14‑under for the tournament after two rounds and establishing a three‑stroke advantage over his competitors.
Kim’s flawless round began with a remarkable stretch of birdies from the third through the seventh holes, a run that set the tone for the rest of his card. He continued to build momentum, finishing the final four holes at four under par, including a dramatic 24‑foot birdie putt on the 18th that capped an extraordinary day. His putting was especially dominant; he sank eight putts from ten feet or farther, a statistic that underscored his confidence on the greens. The 59 places Kim joint‑second on the all‑time list for lowest 18‑hole scores in PGA Tour history, trailing only Jim Furyk’s legendary 58 recorded at the 2016 Travelers Championship.
While Furyk’s mark still stands as the tour’s benchmark, Kim’s achievement joins an elite group of golfers who have broken the 60‑stroke barrier, a feat that has been accomplished by just fifteen players in the modern era. Prior to Kim’s round, the best score of the 2026 season had been a 60, posted by five different players—Blades Brown, Wyndham Clark, Si Woo Kim, Andrew Putnam, and Scottie Scheffler. Kim’s 59 not only eclipsed those performances but also highlighted the increasing depth of talent on the tour this year.
Kim’s only previous PGA Tour victory came at the 2018 John Deere Classic, and his low round before this event was recorded at the 2023 Wyndham Championship. Reflecting on his 59, he said, “I putted awesome.
I feel that I got just about everything I could out of that round. Some shots I didn’t feel supremely confident about, but that’s golf. I was happy I got away with par on 13. Other parts of my game, like my putting, felt fantastic.
When you hit a putt and it does exactly what you envisioned, it’s an amazing feeling. It felt like that all day out there.” He also acknowledged the need to stay grounded moving forward.
“It will be important for me not to compare tomorrow to today’s round,” Kim cautioned. “Even if I start poorly, I can’t be disappointed that I’m not playing as well as I did today. There’s a long way to go, and guys like Scottie Scheffler are going to post good scores as well. I’m nowhere near done.” Speaking of Scheffler, the world‑number‑one found himself tied for 13th after a disappointing 70 on a course that was yielding low scores.
After a strong start that saw him reach nine under, Scheffler’s fortunes changed on the 14th when his approach landed in the water, resulting in a double‑bogey. A subsequent mishit on the 17th added another bogey, though he finished with a birdie on the 18th to end on a positive note. Scheffler summed up his round with, “Just got a bad break, but that happens.” He will need a strong weekend if he hopes to capture his first victory since the Desert Classic in January. Behind Kim, a trio of players shared second place: Ben Kohles, who entered the day with a two‑stroke lead, shot a 69 and fell into a tie with Chandler Phillips (65) and Emiliano Grillo (67).
Their performances, while solid, could not match the brilliance of Kim’s sub‑60 masterpiece. The 3M Open, held at TPC Twin Cities, continues to attract a deep field and offers a compelling narrative as the tournament progresses. Fans can follow live coverage on Sky Sports Golf starting at 7 p.m. on Saturday, with streaming options available without a contract.
Additionally, golfers looking to experience top‑tier courses can book tee times at over 1,700 venues across the UK and Ireland through the provided search tool. Kim’s achievement not only adds a remarkable chapter to his own career but also enriches the PGA Tour’s storied history of low rounds. While the record of 58 remains untouched, the rarity of sub‑60 scores ensures that each new entry, like Kim’s 59, is celebrated as a milestone of skill, composure, and precision under tournament pressure.
As the weekend unfolds, all eyes will be on whether Kim can sustain his momentum and whether any other contender can challenge his lead or perhaps even threaten the long‑standing record. The tournament’s schedule for 2026 promises more exciting golf, with a slate of events that will test the world’s best players across diverse courses and conditions.
For now, Michael Kim’s 59 stands as a testament to what is possible when preparation, confidence, and execution align perfectly on the fairways and greens of a PGA Tour event.