This article lists the lowest recorded rounds in golf. In professional competition, a round of 59 or less is regarded as a significant achievement.[1] In men's major championships the lowest rounds are 62 by Branden Grace at the 2017 Open Championship, by Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele at the 2023 U.S. Open, and by Xander Schauffele and Shane Lowry at the 2024 PGA Championship. The lowest officially recorded round is 55 by Rhein Gibson in 2012. In women's major championships the lowest round is 61, held jointly by Leona Maguire, Lee Jeong-eun and Kim Hyo-joo, all at the Evian Championship.
Lowest rounds of golf
editThe lowest officially recorded round of golf is 55 by Rhein Gibson (12 birdies, two eagles, one hole in one on a par 71) on May 12, 2012, at River Oaks Golf Club in Edmond, Oklahoma. This score is recognized by the Guinness World Records.[2]
Three other rounds of 55 are documented, but these are commonly discounted due to the length of the course or the nature of the round.[3] On August 27, 2020, another was added, as Alexander Hughes shot a 55 in Jenks, Oklahoma, within 100 miles of where Gibson had his best day.[4]
Possibly the lowest documented round in competitive golf is 57, achieved by (among others) Bobby Wyatt in the 2010 Alabama Boys Junior Championship, and Alex Ross in the 2019 Dogwood Invitational. Ross's round was 15-under-par for the Druid Hills Golf Club course in Atlanta, and included 13 birdies and one eagle.[5]
Lowest rounds in professional competition
editOfficial tournaments on the leading professional tours
editOfficial tournaments on the second tier professional tours
editOfficial tournaments on the leading senior tours
edit| Player | Score | To par | Rnd | Finish | Year | Tour | Tournament | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59 | −13 | 2/3 | T7 | 2014 | Champions Tour | Dick's Sporting Goods Open | [55] | |
| 59 | −9 | 2/3 | T4 | 2018 | European Senior Tour | MCB Tour Championship (Seychelles) | [56] |
Other tournaments
editNotes:
- Rnd is the round in which the score was shot, i.e. 2/4 means the round was shot in the second of four rounds.
- Finish is the final tournament finish of the player
Lowest rounds in men's major championships
editIn men's major championships the lowest round is 62 which was first recorded by South African golfer Branden Grace in the third round of the 2017 Open Championship. In the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship, Xander Schauffele became the first golfer to record a round of 62 in a major championship twice.
| # | Player | Major | Date | Course | Rnd | To par | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Open Championship | Jul 22, 2017 | Royal Birkdale Golf Club | 3 | −8 | T6 | |
| 2 | U.S. Open | Jun 15, 2023 | Los Angeles Country Club | 1 | −8 | T5 | |
| 3 | U.S. Open | Jun 15, 2023 | Los Angeles Country Club (2) | 1 | −8 | T10 | |
| 4 | PGA Championship | May 16, 2024 | Valhalla Golf Club | 1 | −9 | 1 | |
| 5 | PGA Championship | May 18, 2024 | Valhalla Golf Club (2) | 3 | −9 | T6 |
Many players have recorded a score of 63.[97] Johnny Miller was the first golfer to shoot 63 in a major and was the only golfer to shoot 63 in the final round to win a major until Henrik Stenson did so as well during the 2016 Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Club. Greg Norman, Vijay Singh, Brooks Koepka and Tommy Fleetwood are the only golfers to record two rounds of 63 in the majors.[98]
Lowest rounds in women's professional competition
editOfficial tournaments on major tours
editThere have been 3 rounds of 58 recorded on the Ladies European Tour, all in the Bloor Homes Eastleigh Classic. These rounds were achieved by Trish Johnson (1990), Jane Connachan (1991) and Dale Reid (1991). This tournament was played on a par 65 public golf course. The lowest Ladies European Tour round on a course with par of minimum 70 has been 61.
| Player | Score | To par | Rnd | Finish | Year | Tour | Tournament | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59 | −13 | 2/4 | 1 | 2001 | LPGA | Standard Register PING | [99] | |
| 60 | −10 | 2/4 | 6 | 2003 | LPGA | Welch's/Fry's Championship | [99] | |
| 60 | −10 | 2/4 | T2 | 2004 | LPGA | Welch's/Fry's Championship | [99] | |
| 60 | −11 | 4/4 | T5 | 2004 | LPGA | Longs Drugs Challenge | [99] | |
| 60 | −10 | 1/4 | 1 | 2008 | LPGA | Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic | [99] | |
| 60 | −11 | 3/4 | 1 | 2021 | LPGA | Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions | [100] | |
| 60 | −11 | 3/3 | 1 | 2024 | LPGA | ShopRite LPGA Classic | [101] |
Lowest rounds in women's major championships
editIn women's major championships the lowest round is 61, which has been recorded by three golfers: Leona Maguire, Lee Jeong-eun and Kim Hyo-joo.
| # | Player | Major | Date | Course | Rnd | To par | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Evian Championship | Sep 11, 2014 | Evian Resort Golf Club | 1 | −10 | 1 | |
| 2 | The Evian Championship | Jul 23, 2021 | Evian Resort Golf Club | 2 | −10 | 2 | |
| 3 | The Evian Championship | Jul 25, 2021 | Evian Resort Golf Club | 4 | −10 | T6 |
Perfect round
editA perfect round is a round of eighteen holes where all holes were played on average at one under par (average of birdie on every hole) resulting in a score of 55 on a par 73 course, 54 on a par 72 course, 53 on a par 71 course, and 52 on a par 70 course.[citation needed]
There is a philosophy popularized by Pia Nilsson's Vision 54 that concentrates on achieving the perfect round, the basic ideology being that striving for perfection results in better scores even if the goal is not met.[102] Cecilia Ekelundh, who formerly played on the Ladies European Tour, did keep the perfect round on her mind by drawing a 54 on the ball she played in competition.[103]
Notes
editReferences
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