Golf Special Report: The magic number 59 is it the course or the player?
The magic number ‘59’ is no more magic, it’s a matter of good planning. There was a time when players like Steve Stricker would comment on Tiger Woods breaking par at Firestone, saying that the PGA Tour was so hard that it felt more like a major rather than a tournament.
Just after three years, the scenario has changed and the same Steve Stricker is found with a smile saying that every tournament seems like the Bob Hope Classic.
According to the media reports, four players on the PGA TOUR have broken par and they are;
Paul Goydos
At John Deere Classic held at the T.P.C. Deere Run course in Silvis, Ill, Paul Goydos was the only player out of 11 to shoot this number and claim a victory over Steve Stricker with 60.
Rory McIlroy
The 22-year –old Irish scored a 59 in his first round of 139th British Open 2010, which was held at Old Course St Andrews, however, on missing a 5-foot birdie putt, he finished with a 63.
Carl Pettersson
Same tragedy struck Carl Pettersson when he had to negotiate for a 60 in the third round of the RBS Canadian Open 2010; only because of his 30-foot birdie putt shot from the 18th green tee got stuck in a bunker and gave him a bogey on the scorecard.
Stuart Appleby
Stuart Appleby became the fifth player to score a 59 after he birdied his last three holes on the event of Greenbrier Classic on the Old White course in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va
Moreover, the lowest number does not stop here going back to the Japan Golf Tour that was held in May; Ryo Ishikawa scored a sizzling 58, whereas Bobby Wyatt the 17-year-old shot a 57 at the Alabama Boys State Junior Championship. These both scores popped in the same season.
The first question that comes to mind after looking at these scores is has golf become too easy.
According to the experts the answer is no. The game is the same challenging and exhausting, it’s the players that have excelled. They are better than ever, and this number is increasing day after day. They play with less fear and attack every pin. Moreover, the equipment they use is better than ever. Rest, is one looks at the weather and course conditions, then the winds are the same harsh and unbiased. The courses are being renovated consistently with alternations, which only enhances the difficulty level.
On the whole, it’s not the course but it’s the player that is becoming tougher and experienced day after day.
Going back to the past, David Duval was the first player to shoot a 59 in the final round of the Bob Hope Classic in 1999.He was the third player in PGA Tour history to shoot 59. That was 11 years ago and today two players have duplicated the same score with a gap of four weeks.
According to Tyler Dennis, the vice president of competition for the PGA Tour says that the magic number is not a matter of easiness on the course or the myth that the old courses are more of a challenge, in fact, it is the reverse.
Pondering over his statement, it seems right as the recent tournaments that were held in July were at venue of St. George's for the Canadian Open and the Old White for the Greenbrier Classic.
The architects of both the courses comment that while designing them, the only factors that crossed their minds were excitement and drama. These two things make the game fun, rather than monotonous and not to forget, more challenging.
According to the analysts, it’s not the course, nor the weather; it’s only the player who has improved with time by going through the process of learning. More tournaments are lined up this season and the next venue is the Firestone with 7400- yards and par 70.How many more 59s are on their way? Let’s wait and see!
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