Michael Kim delivered a spectacular performance on Friday at the 3M Open, posting a 12‑under‑par 59 that marks only the 16th sub‑60 round in PGA Tour history. His flawless round propelled him into the lead at TPC Twin Cities, where he now sits at 14‑under after two rounds, enjoying a three‑stroke advantage over the field. From the third hole through the seventh, Kim stringed together a remarkable run of birdies, showcasing a blend of precision iron play and deft short‑game work.

He capped the round with an equally impressive finish, carding four under par on his final four holes. The highlight came on the 18th, where he sank a dramatic 24‑foot putt for birdie, sealing his historic round. Kim's putting was particularly dominant; he holed eight putts from ten feet or farther, a statistic that underscores his confidence on the greens.

This performance not only gave him a commanding position but also placed his 59 as the joint‑second lowest 18‑hole total ever recorded on the PGA Tour, trailing only Jim Furyk’s 58 at the 2016 Travelers Championship. The rest of the leaderboard featured a tight cluster of three players tied for second place.

Ben Kohles, who entered the day with a two‑stroke lead, carded a 69 and fell into the tie alongside Chandler Phillips, who shot a 65, and Emiliano Grillo, who posted a 67. Despite their solid scores, the day belonged unequivocally to Kim.

Kim’s 59 also stands out in the context of the 2026 season, where the lowest round prior to his achievement had been a 60, recorded by five different players—Blades Brown, Wyndham Clark, Si Woo Kim, Andrew Putnam, and Scottie Scheffler. By breaking that barrier, Kim added his name to a very exclusive list of sub‑60 shooters.

When asked about his round, Kim, a 33‑year‑old who previously claimed his only PGA Tour victory at the 2018 John Deere Classic, said he felt he had left everything on the course. "I putted awesome," he remarked. "I think I got everything I could out of that round.

Some shots I wasn’t super‑confident about, but that’s golf. I was happy to save par on 13. The rest of my game, especially my putting, felt fantastic.

When a putt rolls exactly as you picture it, it’s an amazing feeling. It felt like that all day." Kim’s prior best round on the Tour came at the 2023 Wyndham Championship, making this 59 a significant step up. He acknowledged the historical significance, calling it "pretty cool," but also emphasized the need to stay grounded.

"It’ll be important not to compare tomorrow’s round to today’s. Even if I start poorly, I can’t be disappointed because I didn’t play as well as I did today. There’s a long way to go, and Scottie Scheffler will likely post a good score as well.

I’m nowhere near done," Kim said. Speaking of Scheffler, the world‑number‑one found himself tied for 13th after a disappointing 70 on a course that has been yielding low scores. After a strong start that saw him at nine‑under, Scheffler’s fortunes turned at the 14th when his approach landed in the water, resulting in a double‑bogey six.

A mis‑hit tee shot on the 17th added another bogey, and a tricky second shot from a low lie on the 18th saw the ball skid 34 feet past the hole. "Just got a bad break, but that happens," Scheffler shrugged. He finished with a birdie on 18, ending on a positive note, but will need an exceptional weekend to chase his first victory since the Desert Classic in January. The 3M Open continues to attract attention, with live coverage available on Sky Sports Golf from 7 p.m.

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Kim’s achievement is a reminder of how rare and difficult sub‑60 rounds are on the PGA Tour. Achieving a 59 requires not only flawless execution but also a mental edge that allows a player to sustain concentration over 18 holes. While Furyk’s 58 remains the benchmark, Kim’s performance brings him into the conversation as one of the modern era’s most impressive scorers. Looking ahead, the pressure will shift to maintaining his lead while other contenders, including Scheffler, aim to close the gap.

The weekend promises further drama as the field navigates the challenging yet score‑friendly layout of TPC Twin Cities. Whether Kim can convert his historic round into a tournament victory remains to be seen, but his 59 will undoubtedly be remembered as a standout moment in the 2026 PGA Tour season.