On Friday afternoon at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota, American professional golfer Michael Kim etched his name into golf history by shooting a 12-under-par 59 during the second round of the 3M Open. Kim became only the 15th player in PGA Tour history to break the 60-shot mark in an official event, capping off his historic performance by sinking a dramatic 24-foot birdie putt on the 18th green.<\/p>\n
Breaking 60 in professional golf remains one of the most difficult and celebrated achievements in modern sports. Prior to Kim’s performance, only 14 other players had recorded a sub-60 round in the PGA Tour’s long history, starting with Al Geiberger’s groundbreaking 59 at the 1977 Memphis Classic.<\/p>\n
Jim Furyk holds the ultimate PGA Tour record with a 58 at the 2016 Travelers Championship, alongside a 59 recorded in 2010. However, sub-60 rounds have grown increasingly common in recent years due to advancements in course conditioning, biomechanics, and player preparation.<\/p>\n
Kim’s round marks the third time a player has carded a 59 on the PGA Tour in 2024 alone. His score follows similar historic rounds by Cameron Young at the Travelers Championship and Hayden Springer at the John Deere Classic earlier this summer.<\/p>\n
Kim began his Friday round with precise iron play, taking quick advantage of soft, receptive greens and favorable weather conditions in Blaine. He built early momentum with a flurry of front-nine birdies that transformed a routine second round into an extraordinary record chase.<\/p>\n
Navigating the water hazards and narrow landing zones on TPC Twin Cities’ back nine, Kim displayed surgical control with his wedges and putter. Entering the par-5 18th hole at 11-under for the day, he needed one final birdie to secure his place in golf history.<\/p>\n
After laying up safely and hitting his approach onto the final green, Kim faced a high-pressure 24-foot putt. The 31-year-old stroked the ball smoothly into the center of the cup, prompting an enthusiastic reaction from the gallery surrounding the 18th green.<\/p>\n
Statistically, Kim’s performance was a masterclass in modern strokes gained metrics. PGA Tour ShotLink data showed that Kim gained significant strokes on the field in putting alone, while hitting nearly every fairway and green in regulation throughout the afternoon.<\/p>\n
The increasing frequency of low scores reflects broader structural shifts in professional golf. Tour data indicates that average winning scores have dropped over the last two decades, driven by hyper-optimized equipment, detailed launch monitor analytics, and aggressive turf management designed to yield low scores.<\/p>\n
Analysts note that modern players possess the psychological mindset to maintain momentum during hot streaks rather than playing defensively. Once players reach eight or nine under par, modern analytics encourage continued aggression rather than conservative play.<\/p>\n
For Kim, the historic round represents a significant career milestone following years of swing adjustments and competitive struggles. Kim claimed his sole PGA Tour victory at the 2018 John Deere Classic, but subsequently endured a prolonged slump that temporarily cost him his full playing privileges.<\/p>\n
His 59 vaulted him near the top of the 3M Open leaderboard and significantly boosted his trajectory in the FedExCup standings. With the PGA Tour regular season drawing toward its conclusion, every point is critical for players striving to finish inside the top 70 to qualify for the upcoming playoff events.<\/p>\n
Golf fans and analysts will watch closely over the weekend to see how Kim manages the immense physical and mental fatigue that often follows a record-breaking round. Historically, players who achieve rare scoring milestones frequently face heightened pressure in the immediate rounds that follow.<\/p>\n
The primary storyline moving into the final rounds will be whether Kim can capitalize on this momentum to contend for his second career PGA Tour victory, while managing a crowded leaderboard chasing him on a scoring-friendly TPC Twin Cities layout.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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