Sepp Straka made golf look easy (at least for 17 holes) on Sunday.
The 30-year old Austrian was a green tractor on TPC Deere run in the final round 2023 John Deere Classic. He had fans on their toes with his 59 before the 18th hole brought a disappointing end. Straka’s career-low score of 9-under-62 was achieved despite a double bogey at the 18th hole.
Scottie Scheffler is the latest player to break 60 on the PGA Tour, after his 59 in the second round at the 2020 Northern Trust tournament at TPC Boston. Paul Goydos opened the 2010 John Deere classic with a 59, and then shot a back nine of 8-under-28. Jim Furyk holds the Tour Record with his 58 shot at the 2016 Travelers Championship. Furyk has a 59 in his résumé.
Straka had a score of 3 under after his first two hole following a birdie and eagle. He then added circles to his scorecard at Nos. The turn was a 7-under-28. Straka’s putter was the only thing hotter than the Quad Cities temperature on Sunday. He got to work again on the back nine, with four consecutive birdies at Nos. With four holes left, he is now on the sub-60 watch list.
No. 15: A birdie from 43 feet. The 15th hole was parred after the ball just missed the edge. Straka hit the fairway in the par 4, but hooked his shot into the water on the left side. This led to a double bogey 6, after his 15-foot bogey failed to reach the bottom of his cup.
“Not a very good shot.” He said, “I pulled it” during an interview with CBS after the round. “That was my first bad shot today.”
Straka, who led the 54-hole leader Brendon Todd by 19 holes after 13 holes, walked away with the clubhouse title.
