Lowest rounds of golf

This article lists the lowest rounds of golf. In professional competition a round of 59 or less is regarded as a significant achievement.[1] In men's major championships the lowest round is 62 by Branden Grace at the 2017 Open Championship. The lowest officially recorded round is 55 by Rhein Gibson in 2012.

"Perfect round" redirects here. For the measure of the shape of a round object, see Sphericity.

Lowest rounds of golf

The lowest officially recorded round is 55 by Rhein Gibson (12 birdies and two eagles 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

Official tournaments on major tours
PlayerScoreTo parRndFinishYearTourTournamentRef
Ryo Ishikawa58−124/412010Japan Golf TourThe Crowns[6]
Stephan Jäger58−121/412016Web.com TourEllie Mae Classic[7]
Jim Furyk58−124/4T52016PGA TourTravelers Championship[8]
Al Geiberger59−132/411977PGA TourDanny Thomas Memphis Classic[9][10]
Chip Beck59−133/5T31991PGA TourLas Vegas Invitational[9][11]
Notah Begay III59−132/4T61998Nike TourDominion Open[9][12]
Doug Dunakey59−112/4T21998Nike TourMiami Valley Open[9][13]
David Duval59−135/511999PGA TourBob Hope Chrysler Classic[9][14]
Annika Sörenstam59−132/412001LPGA TourStandard Register PING[15]
Masahiro Kuramoto59−121/412003Japan Golf TourAcom International[6][16]
Jason Gore59−122/412005Nationwide TourCox Classic[17]
Adrien Mörk59−122/412006Challenge TourTikida Hotels Agadir Moroccan Classic[18]
Paul Goydos59−121/422010PGA TourJohn Deere Classic[19]
Stuart Appleby59−114/412010PGA TourGreenbrier Classic[20]
Will Wilcox59−124/4T32013Web.com TourUtah Championship[21]
Russell Knox59−122/4T122013Web.com TourAlbertsons Boise Open[22]
Jim Furyk59−122/432013PGA TourBMW Championship[23]
Kevin Sutherland59−132/3T72014Champions TourDick's Sporting Goods Open[24]
Nicolò Ravano59−122/322016Challenge TourFred Olsen Challenge de España[25]
Justin Thomas59−111/412017PGA TourSony Open in Hawaii[26]
Adam Hadwin59−133/422017PGA TourCareerBuilder Challenge[27]
Sam Saunders59−121/4T22017Web.com Tour (Finals)Web.com Tour Championship[28]
Brandt Snedeker59−111/412018PGA TourWyndham Championship[29]
Oliver Fisher59−122/4T72018European TourPortugal Masters[30]
Miguel Ángel Martín59−92/3T42018European Senior TourMCB Tour Championship – Seychelles[31]
Kevin Chappell59−112/4T472019PGA TourA Military Tribute at The Greenbrier[32]
Scottie Scheffler59−122/4T42020PGA TourThe Northern Trust[33]

Unofficial tournaments and minor tours
PlayerScoreTo parRndFinishYearTourTournamentRef
David Carey57−111/312019Alps TourCervino Open[34]
Steve Anderson-Chapman58−112/231984n/aWest Country Open[35]
Shigeki Maruyama58−131/22000PGA TourU.S. Open qualifying round[36]
Jason Bohn58−134/412001Canadian TourBayer Championship[37]
John Hahn58−124/6T502014European Tourqualifying school tournament[38]
Gary Player59−102/411974n/aBrazil Open[39]
Tsutomu Irie59−111/211985Japan Golf TourKuzuha International[40]
David Gossett59−134/6T682000PGA Tourqualifying school tournament[9][41]
Phil Mickelson59−132/212004PGA TourPGA Grand Slam of Golf[42]
Brad McIntosh59−122/4T122005Von Nida TourQueensland PGA Championship[43]
Martin Kaymer59−132/312006EPD TourHabsberg Classic[44]
Harrison Frazar59−134/612008PGA Tourqualifying school tournament[45]
Richard Lee59−112/4T252010Charles TourCarrus Tauranga Open[46]
Mark Brown59−112/412014Charles TourCarrus Open[47]
Will McCurdy59−132/32015SwingThought.com TourCallaway Gardens 3 Day[48]
Robin Kind59−132/312015Pro Golf TourSparkassen Open[49]
James Love59−121/42016Web.com Tourqualifying school tournament[50]
Woody Austin59−121/312017PGA Tour ChampionsDiamond Resorts Invitational[51]
Sutijet Kooratanapisan59−114/432017Asian Development TourSingha Phuket Open[52]
Hinrich Arkenau59−131/312017Pro Golf TourSparkassen Open[53]
Mark Brown59−112/4T22018Charles TourCarrus Open[54]
Drew Nesbitt59−122/4T492018PGA Tour LatinoaméricaJHSF Brazil Open[55]
Greyson Sigg59−124/432019PGA Tour CanadaGolfBC Championship[56]
Harry Ellis59−122/312020n/aMemorial Olivier Barras[57]
Luke Schniederjans59–112/322020GPro TourMimosa Challenge[58]

Notes:

  • 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

In men's major championships the lowest round is 62 which was recorded by South African golfer Branden Grace in the third round of the 2017 Open Championship.

#PlayerCountryMajorDateCourseRndTo parFinish
1Branden Grace South AfricaThe Open ChampionshipJul 22, 2017Royal Birkdale Golf Club3−8T6

Many players have recorded a score of 63.[59] This has occurred 37 times by 34 golfers since 1973. Greg Norman, Vijay Singh and Brooks Koepka are the only golfers to record two rounds of 63 in the majors. 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. Shane Lowry at the 2019 Open Championship was the most recent player to shoot 63 in a major.

#PlayerCountryMajorDateCourseRndTo parFinish
1Johnny Miller United StatesU.S. OpenJun 17, 1973Oakmont Country Club4−81
2Bruce Crampton AustraliaPGA ChampionshipAug 8, 1975Firestone Country Club2−72
3Mark Hayes United StatesThe Open ChampionshipJul 7, 1977Turnberry2−7T9
4Tom Weiskopf United StatesU.S. OpenJun 12, 1980Baltusrol Golf Club1−737
5Jack Nicklaus United StatesU.S. OpenJun 12, 1980Baltusrol Golf Club (2)1−71
6Isao Aoki JapanThe Open ChampionshipJul 19, 1980Muirfield3−8T12
7Raymond Floyd United StatesPGA ChampionshipAug 5, 1982Southern Hills Country Club1−71
8Gary Player South AfricaPGA ChampionshipAug 17, 1984Shoal Creek Golf and Country Club2−9T2
9Nick Price ZimbabweMasters TournamentApr 12, 1986Augusta National Golf Club3−95
10Greg Norman AustraliaThe Open ChampionshipJul 18, 1986Turnberry (2)2−71
11Paul Broadhurst EnglandThe Open ChampionshipJul 21, 1990Old Course at St Andrews3−9T12
12Jodie Mudd United StatesThe Open ChampionshipJul 21, 1991Royal Birkdale Golf Club4−7T5
13Nick Faldo EnglandThe Open ChampionshipJul 16, 1993Royal St George's Golf Club2−72
14Payne Stewart United StatesThe Open ChampionshipJul 18, 1993Royal St George's Golf Club (2)4−712
15Vijay Singh FijiPGA ChampionshipAug 13, 1993Inverness Club2−84
16Michael Bradley United StatesPGA ChampionshipAug 10, 1995Riviera Country Club1−8T54
17Brad Faxon United StatesPGA ChampionshipAug 13, 1995Riviera Country Club (2)4−85
18Greg Norman (2) AustraliaMasters TournamentApr 11, 1996Augusta National Golf Club (2)1−92
19José María Olazábal SpainPGA ChampionshipAug 19, 2000Valhalla Golf Club3−9T4
20Mark O'Meara United StatesPGA ChampionshipAug 17, 2001Atlanta Athletic Club2−7T22
21Vijay Singh (2) FijiU.S. OpenJun 13, 2003Olympia Fields Country Club2−7T20
22Thomas Bjørn DenmarkPGA ChampionshipAug 13, 2005Baltusrol Golf Club (3)3−7T2
23Tiger Woods United StatesPGA ChampionshipAug 10, 2007Southern Hills Country Club (2)2−71
24Rory McIlroy Northern IrelandThe Open ChampionshipJul 15, 2010Old Course at St Andrews (2)1−9T3
25Steve Stricker United StatesPGA ChampionshipAug 11, 2011Atlanta Athletic Club (2)1−7T12
26Jason Dufner United StatesPGA ChampionshipAug 9, 2013Oak Hill Country Club2−71
27Hiroshi Iwata JapanPGA ChampionshipAug 14, 2015Whistling Straits2−9T21
28Phil Mickelson United StatesThe Open ChampionshipJul 14, 2016Royal Troon Golf Club1−82
29Henrik Stenson SwedenThe Open ChampionshipJul 17, 2016Royal Troon Golf Club (2)4−81
30Robert Streb United StatesPGA ChampionshipJul 29, 2016Baltusrol Golf Club (4)2−7T7
31Justin Thomas United StatesU.S. OpenJun 17, 2017Erin Hills3−9T9
32Li Haotong ChinaThe Open ChampionshipJul 23, 2017Royal Birkdale Golf Club (2)4−73
33Tommy Fleetwood EnglandU.S. OpenJun 17, 2018Shinnecock Hills Golf Club4−72
34Brooks Koepka United StatesPGA ChampionshipAug 10, 2018Bellerive Country Club2−71
35Charl Schwartzel South AfricaPGA ChampionshipAug 10, 2018Bellerive Country Club (2)2−7T42
36Brooks Koepka (2) United StatesPGA ChampionshipMay 16, 2019Bethpage Black Course1−71
37Shane Lowry IrelandThe Open ChampionshipJul 20, 2019Royal Portrush Golf Club3−81

Perfect round

A "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. The term 'perfect round' is used for a 54 as the lowest score generally accepted as being in the realm of possibility among professional golfers on a par 72 course. This has remained the standard and has never been achieved by a professional golfer in a professional event.

Cecilia Ekelundh, of the Ladies European Tour keeps the perfect round on her mind by drawing a 54 on the ball she plays in competition. "There is no reason why you can't birdie every hole," Ekelundh said. "I got the idea when Swedish speed skater Tomas Gustafson came and spoke at one of our national team days. He said he wrote his ultimate lap time on his shoe so that every time he put his shoes on he visualised making that time. Now every time I pick up a ball I have that vision."[60]

There is a philosophy among top rated golf schools 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.[61]

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