Stuart Appleby Fires 5th 59 in PGA Tour History, 2nd In A Month
by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 1, 2010 6:14 PM EDT
in Pro Golf
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For the second time in a month, history has been made on the PGA Tour. That may seem ironic, but Stuart Appleby has shot 59 on the PGA Tour in the final round of the Greenbrier Classic to win the tournament by a stroke.
With an emphatic 10' 10" left-to-right curler at the par 3 18th of the Old White Course, Appleby walked himself into the record books and the winner's circle.
Appleby went out in the final round at -11 and seven shots behind overnight leader Jeff Overton. Overton withstood third round charges from JB Holmes, who shot 60, and DA Points, whose similar chances at 59 were dashed with a bogey at the 17th hole.
The Australian made quick work of the front nine, going out in 28 strokes. He made seven birdies, including a 27'6" putt for birdie at the 4th for his second birdie on the way to 59. That set off a string of four consecutive birdies.
Perhaps his most important hole, though, was the par 3 8th. Appleby went long and left with his tee shot, but made an amazing up and down to save par and keep the momentum going. On the ninth, Appleby nearly holed out for eagle, but left himself a tap in for 28.
The 159th ranked player in the world went cold - relatively speaking - on the first two holes of the inward nine by making pars. At the 568 yard par 5 twelfth, though, Appleby got home in two and made an eleven footer for eagle to get thoughts on 59 in his head. Again, Appleby went cold. Three consecutive pars left him with the difficult task of finishing with three straight birdies to reach the golden number.
With a birdie on 16 in hand, Appleby came to the par 5 17th and laid up. Hitting his third shot to approximately ten feet after an impressive wedge to a tucked front left pin, Appleby sank the putt. Awaiting him was one of two closing par 3s on the PGA Tour. (East Lake at the Tour Championship is the other.)
Teeing off to a pin tucked over an eccentric ridge in the green, Appleby left himself a near eleven footer for history. Studying the putt with an intensity that first manifested itself after the birdie at 16, Appleby hit a perfect putt. He walked it in with a fist pump to a raucous and appreciative West Virginia crowd.
Appleby, known for his strength off of the tee, often laid up on this classic design. He achieved the feat by mostly making putts of near ten feet. Curiously enough, Appleby is 107th on Tour in putting average and 165th in greens in regulation. Today, he hit 15 greens in regulation and took just 24 putts to shoot 59.
During a baseball season in which there have been two perfect games and a third that was botched by umpiring, the national pastime's year has been deemed that of the pitcher. On the PGA Tour - and, really, pro golf around the world - this season has been marked by players going low.
At the John Deere Classic just three weeks ago, Paul Goydos recorded the fourth 59 in Tour history at TPC Deere Run.
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So - the next question should be...
….how can the PGA Tour be playing at such an “easy course” ? When Goydos shot 59 (followed by Stricker’s 60) on a day when everything came together for great scoring, there was all kinds of whining and complaining that the course was just too easy.
How about now ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Court,59 is an awesome number on a scorecard
but it’s like a 64 on a course that tests all the golfers abilities. Top pros don’t play these courses…those elements that separate the best players from the rest are missing at these easier courses. It’s interesting that all the 59’s in PGA tour history back this up. Only 2 of them won a major, 1, Duval, could have been a great player but the club between his ears imploded. The 2 this year are in the twilight of their careers. On the word "whining’ as you put it, the only time I have seen whining on this blog is when certain bloggers complain that too many non-Americans win on their tours. Stating these are easier courses is a fact that even Stevie Wonder could appreciate.
If it was so easy out there, how come none of the “real” golfers not in their twilight shot 59 or better ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Well Charles Howell III didn’t make a bogey the entire week but finished well behind at -14.
I was happy to see Appleby play well today and get back into the winner’s circle. He’s one of the guys I always root for and I was glued to the television when 59 became a real possibility on the back 9.
I didn’t think that Overton conducted himself very well, especially after the miss on 17. I understand that he wanted to win the tournament and all (and losing when a guy shoots a 59 is rough) but still, he didn’t seem to show much class.
Been a Reds fan since 1996 and am desperate for a playoff run.
Yeah – that reaction from Overton at 17 was a real surprise. He’s usually pretty steady with his reactions. Maybe it was frustration coming out after all the close finishes he’s had over the last 2 years ? You have to start wondering if you’re ever going to get a break – now you lose a tournament when someone shoots a 59 ? What do you have to do ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I'd have to agree with you B.U.
Certainly losing to a guy that shoots a 59 on the final day should have eased the pain somewhat.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
He was much better after the round in his presser, more calm.
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by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 2, 2010 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions
59s, Perfect Games in baseball, what's next?
This seems to be a golden year in American sports: two 59s on the PGA Tour — and whatever whingeing the pundits do about easy courses and conditions are just that, whingeing. I never trust a man who can’t break 75 or even 80 to tell me how easy or how hard a perfect round is. That’s like asking a teenager who stares at his Megan Fox poster doing god-only-knows what it’s like to spend the weekend in Hawai’i with her.
Then there have been some perfect games in Major League Baseball — which is probably the sports toughest accomplishment. There would have been one more besides, save for a bone-headed call by an umpire. Anyway, this many in a single year is unheard of.
I guess the only way to top it would be for an NFL team to have a perfect record and finally put those ancient Miami Dolphin former players to rest and cancel their annual “nanny nanny boo boo” champagne party when the final undefeated team loses.
Good Point
Ben Hogan used to say a 54 was a perfect round, because that would mean 18 birdies on a 72-par course.
Still, a 59 is a gold standard round.
And the other Hogan, first name Hulk, I think, said the perfect
wrestling match occurs only when a folding chair is not deployed, but that’ll never happen.
a 59 on a 7000+ yard par 70, hilly course. He had wedge in his hand for an approach only 7 times. He eagled the one par par 5 that he hit with a 4-iron to 11 feet from 230 yards out. Do that off of a tee on a 230 yard par 3 and everybody is going crazy for the birdie.
Yes – the ground was a bit soft – anybody want to try to stop the rain ?
Yes – the greens were a little slow – the grass on the greens is not mature enough yet to be cut and rolled to the crazy PGA Tour speeds yet because of the heat.
He made a lot of putts from outside of 10’, and a handful from well outside of 20’. Tour stats say that 10-15’ putts are made 26% of the time. 15-20’ putts are made 19% of the time. 20-25’ putts are made 10% of the time. Putts over 25’ are made only 4% of the time.
Still think what he did was easy ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Easy???.....no 59 is ever easy....
Easy said it was easy, but Easy always says the courses here are easy…..they are not easy and Easy knows they are not easy.
The Saints ARE the SUPER BOWL CHAMPS....WHO DAT!
But he wasn't the only one court
and it was the same last month…a few players had a chance to do it. All I ever said was the courses these weeks were a lot easier than the norm.The scores say so.
HUGE difference in having a chance to do it and doing it. HUGE. Katherine Hull had a chance to steal the Women’s Open over the weekend – but the putts didn’t fall.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Yes – so the folks at The Greenbrier should have blocked the rain and installed air conditioning.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Don't they Dye the creek at Augusta ?
that is the American way :) Even if it didn’t rain it’s not considered a tough track.
yep – and if they hit a ball in that green water, the ball still sinks to the bottom.
We have GOT to get you to some of these “not so tough” courses to see how you do. (I just added it to the “win the lottery” list of things to do) (lol)
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Because you’re jumping to a conclusion based on a first year effort. You have no idea what kind of changes they might make, or how tough the course can play under different weather conditions, or how tough it might play with just a different set of hole positions. You’ve done everything but suggest they put a clown hole in place of the 18th green and have the ball disappear when it goes in. They had another choice of courses there. The other course is more modern – but they chose the White Course for its classic design and potential challenges. This year, it played pretty easy for a fair number of golfers.
But take note that with all your criticism, the 72 hole scoring record was never close to being challenged. If Appleby didn’t put up that 59, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
When the cut is under par, anywhere
it’s too easy a test. Funny when Ishikawa shot that 58 you said "he might have been nervous in better competition and the only thing we do know is that better competition wouldn’t be playing a course like that " It’s the same thing here, just another notch up. The best competition stays away from these. Those are the facts, you choose to ignore them.
Ishikawa shot 58 on a course that was almost 500 yards shorter than this one AND a par 72. Are you going to tell me that on a day like Sunday, Applebly wouldn’t have found another shot or three with that much more yardage to play with ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Still, you miss the point.
I’m starting to think you have Karlsson’s condition. What I am saying is Ishikawa got a 58 on a weak track, it was ok for you to question the course. When Appleby and Goydos shoots a 59 on stronger tracks, but obviously weak by tour standards, I’m being negative. The 59 was fantastic and made the headlines, but lets say no one broke 60. The tournament itself was boring. If the week needed a 59 to make the news, that says it all about the tournament itself.
under 6600 yards vs a bit over 7000 yards – it is not insignificant
the reaction to Ishikawa’s 58 was way over the top considering the course. It was like putting a PGA Tour guy in an LPGA tournament.
what you’re doing is taking the score and assuming that the course wasn’t worthy of the tour while not counting in the course conditions.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Easy knows 59 isn't easy...
but on these courses it is likely. The last 2 59’s had a few 60’s and 61’s with them and that should tell you a lot about the course.
LMAO – I’ll have Tim Finchem invite you over for a tournament on one of these “easy” courses.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
There you go again.
You and I can’t compare to your club pro, never mind them. And they can’t compare to the top players that didn’t show that week. But I’ll tell you what. You and I can play together and we could play our game.Not theirs. As for Fincham, forget it. No time for him.
Yes we can – and it would be a blast – but disparaging someone for playing great golf just makes no sense.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Sense ?
I’m putting all the 59’s in perspective. Greg Normans 63 at Turnberry in ‘86 was streets ahead in every way, than any of them. Great golf ? All the 59’s are up there, but I doubt any would be in an all time top 10.
I may not agree with every comment you've made
about the difficulty of the courses, etc, but Greg Norman’s 63 at Turnberry was indisputably the best.
Indisputably not, so there
I may need to use the word “indisputably” indiscriminately on all future posts to stop you arguing with me. Of course, that would never stop Court.
Agreed. Court is nonstop unstoppable.
But fun to read.
by TXQ on Aug 3, 2010 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions
You're no slouch yourself, Eas, and a worthy foe for Court.
I tend to flee from Court battles. I’ve always felt David’s shot at Goliath was just a lucky one, and that God affected the wind.
One other thing.
The only thing I said about the pros shooting these numbers is that none of them are cream of the tour. With the odd exception, they won’t win a major. Now, that aside, they can’t help what the tour sets up as a test for them week in, week out, they can only do their best. What I am saying is that these courses are easier tracks for the pros and if there is some truth that they are being set up easier, for the benefit of TV, then that is wrong. The groove change was supposed to make them think more about what they hit off the tee, not make it easier for them.
Aside from David Duval – tell me one of the five who was “cream of the tour”. I figured you would be excited to have Appleby as part of the 59 club since he is of the “superior race of golfers” – those who have played all over the world. He has 9 PGA Tour wins, has top 10’s in all 4 majors, and was a top 10 golfer for a number of years.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
You almost have a chip on your shoulder mate.
You figured me wrong. I like good golf, don’t care which country it comes from. Do you bear fangs during the Ryder Cup ? :) All 5 59’s were by players who one wouldn’t considered a top notch player. Duval was for a short while then lost the chance to be considered great. A bit like Johnny Miller, hot for a few years then lost it. Shame, always liked Duval.
David Duval was ranked #1 in the world – that’s enough said about the guy being a top notch player. He won YOUR favorite tournament. What more do you want ? What happened to him will always be a mystery.
I’m sitting here watching the Atlanta Braves play the New York Mutts….errrr…Mets. The Braves just picked up a guy named Rick Ankiel last weekend. He was one of the better pitchers in the league and all of a sudden, he couldn’t throw a strike to save his life. He went down to the minors, reshaped his body and went out to center field and has become a darn fine outfielder and hitter. Amazing how these things happen.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
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