Golf is a difficult game but Sepp Straka sure made it look easy on Sunday (for 17 holes, at least).
The 30-year-old Austrian rolled through TPC Deere Run like a big, green tractor in the final round of the 2023 John Deere Classic and put fans on 59 watch before a miserable ending played out on the 18th hole. Straka made double bogey on the final hole but still managed to sign for a 9-under 62, his career low.
Players have broken 60 during PGA Tour competition just 12 times, with Scottie Scheffler as the most recent following his 59 during the second round of the 2020 Northern Trust at TPC Boston. Paul Goydos shot an opening-round 59 at the 2010 John Deere Classic with an 8-under 28 on the back nine. Jim Furyk, who has a 59 on his resume, holds the Tour record with his 58 at the 2016 Travelers Championship.
Straka was 3 under through his first two holes after a birdie-eagle start and proceeded to add circles to his scorecard on Nos. 4, 6, 7 and 9 to make the turn at a blistering 7-under 28. The only thing warmer than the temperature in the Quad Cities on Sunday was Straka’s putter, which got back to work on the back nine with four consecutive birdies on Nos. 11-14 to put him on sub-60 watch with four holes to play.
A birdie putt from 43 feet on No. 15 just missed the edge, which led to three consecutive pars and brought the 59 watch to the 18th hole. Straka hit the fairway on the par 4 but hooked his approach into the water guarding the left side of the green, which led to a double-bogey 6 after his bogey putt from 15 feet failed to find the bottom of the cup.
“Not a good shot. I pulled it.” he said during a post-round interview on CBS. “That was the first bad shot I hit today.”
Straka walked off the course with the clubhouse lead at 21 under, with 54-hole leader Brendon Todd in second at 19 under through 13 holes.