Paul Goydos shot 12-under 59 Thursday in the first round of the John Deere Classic.Goydos made a 7-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to post golf’s magic number.
Goydos went out in 31 on the par-71, 7,257-yard TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill., then birdied eight of nine holes coming in.
His birdie putts on holes 11-14 came from 40 feet, 20 feet and 24 feet, respectively. Goydos missed just one fairway and two greens in regulation while taking just 22 putts.
He is the fourth player in PGA Tour history to shoot 59. The last player to shoot 59 was David Duval in the final round of the 1999 Bob Hope Classic. Al Geiberger (1977) and Chip Beck (1991) have also shot 59 on the PGA Tour.
No player has shot 59 in the first round of a Tour event.
His previous low round on the PGA Tour was 63, which he has posted multiple times, the last coming in the second round of the Sony Open in January.
Goydos, who last played at the John Deere Classic in 2007 and tied for 50th, had a five-shot lead over Michael Letzig (64).
Goydos has played 18 events in 2010, making 10 cuts and finishing in the top 10 twice. He’s No. 103 on the money list.
