Phil Mickelson came tantalisingly close to golf’s magic number of 59 on Thursday, a near-miss at his last hole leaving him with a 60 and a four-shot lead in the US PGA Tour Phoenix Open.
Mickelson’s 25-foot birdie attempt at his final hole of the day - TPC Scottsdale’s par-four ninth - curled around the rim of the cup but didn’t drop.
“You don’t have chances to shoot 59 often,” he said. “To have that putt on line - I’m kind of mortified that it didn’t go in.”
Only five golfers have carded 59s on the US PGA Tour, most recently Australian Stuart Appleby in the 2010 Greenbrier Classic.
Paul Goydos also accomplished the feat in 2010 at the John Deere Classic. Al Geiberger (1977), Chip Beck (1991) and David Duval (1999) have also posted 59s on the US tour.
Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa carded the lowest round on a major professional tour with a 12-under 58 to win the 2010 Crowns on the Japan Tour.