Michael Kim Achieves Feat with Historic Round at 3M Open

Michael Kim etched his name in golfing history on Friday at the 3M Open. The 33-year-old golfer was on the brink of achieving a sub-60 round, a feat accomplished only 16 times before in PGA Tour history. As he approached the 18th hole, Kim’s wedge shot landed on the fringe of the green, leaving him with a 24-foot putt to secure a birdie and cement his place in the record books. Kim focused on one thing during the critical moment: ensuring his putt wasn’t short.

Kim shared his thoughts, stating, “I tend to leave those short when it’s that uphill, and I just, last thing was just get it there, just don’t leave it short.” His determination paid off as he made the putt, celebrating with exuberant fist pumps.

Reflecting on the situation, Kim recounted his mindset, “I just kind of told myself like, ‘Hey, this is the way, this is the moment to get into the history books and let’s go for it, let’s not try to luck our way into it, let’s try to step up and hit some really good shots.’” He demonstrated that resolve with an impressive series of birdies throughout the round.

Starting on the third hole, Kim ran five birdies consecutively. After a par on the eighth, he birdied three out of the next four holes, concluding the round with four straight birdies. His precision was evident as eight of his 11 birdies came from distances of over ten feet. Kim described the feeling, “When you hit a putt and it does exactly what you kind of envisioned before you hit it, it’s an awesome feeling. Felt like that all day out there.”

Kim’s remarkable day gave him a three-shot edge over Ben Kohles. Despite the achievement, Kim acknowledged the challenge ahead, saying, “Today was an awesome day, but still, I’m only halfway there so still need to kind of get focused up for the weekend.” His 59 is noteworthy, marking the fourth occurrence on tour since 2024. Prior to Kim’s achievement, Jake Knapp secured a similar round during the 2025 Cognizant Classic first round. Jim Furyk holds the PGA Tour record with a score of 58 at the 2016 Travelers Championship.