NSW golfer shoots a 55

Updated May 18, 2012 12:43:33

A 26-year-old man from Lismore in New South Wales has provisionally set a new world record for the lowest score in a round of golf.

Little-known Australian professional Rhein Gibson fired a 16-under-par 55 at the River Oaks Golf Club in Oklahoma.

Only one other player has ever shot a 55 before - Homero Blancas, a PGA Tour player from the 1960s, managed the feat on a par-70 course of just 5,000 yards.

But that score was taken out of the record books after harder qualifying rules were set.

Gibson's round falls in line with the new rules and is set to become a new world mark once it is cleared.

Starting on the back nine of the 6,698-yard par-71 course, Gibson started with a routine par before notching up two eagles and a birdie in his next three holes.

He then continued his birdie blitz with five straight to close out a mind-boggling nine holes in 26 shots, 10-under-par.

Forced to wait 15 minutes at the turn, Gibson could only manage pars on the first two holes but then birdied six of the last seven to post an incredible 55.

"I just kind of got hot I guess and every putt I hit went in, that's the best I can explain it to be honest," Gibson said.

As he faced an eight-foot birdie putt on his final hole, Gibson knew history was in the offing but felt calm.

"I wasn't nervous," he said.

"I had this song playing in my head. It is that new one from the Eli Young Band. It was in there all day."

He says it is hard to believe he's posted a score unmatched by some of the game's greats.

"It's really only starting to sink in now," he said.

Gibson is aspiring to join the PGA Tour, playing the smaller Golfweek National Pro Tour, and through six events is 12th on the money list.

ABC/AAP

Tags: sport, golf, offbeat, lismore-2480, nsw, australia, united-states

First posted May 18, 2012 11:02:11

View the original article here

Cantlay shoots record 60 at River Highlands

Updated June 25, 2011 11:07:00

American Patrick Cantlay became the first amateur to shoot a 60 on the PGA Tour after blitzing the TPC River Highlands course in the second round of the Travelers Championship on Friday.

Having to play 36 holes after Thursday was washed out, the 19-year-old opened with a 67 and then exploded with a second round 10-under to move to a 13-under total of 127 under overcast skies.

The spectacular round of eight birdies and an eagle left Cantlay with a four-stroke lead over a clutch of players tied for second after play was halted with about half the field yet to finish their second rounds.

"I hit it really good this afternoon. I hit only a couple of bad drives and they didn't put me in any trouble," Cantlay told reporters.

"On the greens I felt really, really comfortable and I felt like I could roll almost any putt I had in."

Americans Webb Simpson, Vaughn Taylor and DJ Trahan were in the club-house tied for second on nine-under with Brazilian Alexandre Rocha.

Argentine Andres Romero was also nine-under after five holes of his second round.

Cantlay, who took low amateur honours at the US Open, had a 30 on the front nine and another 30 coming in, kicking the round off with a birdie at the first and consecutive birdies at five, six, eight and nine.

His back nine was quiet until an eagle at the par-five 13th, his second of the day there, sparked a run of closing birdies at 14, 17 and 18.

Cantley finished his round with a sublime eight-iron approach from 152 yards that spun back to settle within three feet of the 18th cup.

"I didn't know that no amateur had ever shot a 60, that wasn't really in my brain," Cantlay said. "I knew where I was and I knew I needed to make eagle on 18 for a 59. But you know, it's tough to hole it from 152."

The last birdie also set a new course record, topping the 61 shared by five players, including Phil Mickelson and Kenny Perry, who achieved the feat in 2009.

Cantlay will now focus on becoming the first amateur to win a PGA title since Mickelson in 1991 at the Northern Telecom Open. Scott Verplank (1985), Doug Sanders (1956) and Gene Littler (1954) also won titles as amateurs.

- Reuters

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

First posted June 25, 2011 11:01:00

View the original article here