In a game full of numbers, one number has evaded players on the European Tour for decades. That number is 59.
Whilst 16 rounds of 59 have been carded in official professional events around the world, no one has yet posted the score in a European Tour event. Seventeen players have shot 60, Darren Clarke being the only man to do so twice.
However, this week’s Portugal Masters presents players with a golden opportunity to shoot the magic number.
In the last three years, there have been 32 rounds of 64 or less at the Victoria Clube de Golfe in Vilamoura, including two very close calls of 59.
In 2013, Scott Jamieson arrived in Portugal on the back of a win earlier in the season at the Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS HANDA. At that event, the Scot fired a second round 57, but the course was shortened to a par 65 due to heavy rain during the week.
However, after opening with rounds of 66 and 73 at the Portugal Masters, Jamieson made a charge for a 59 on Saturday.
After carding a 29 on the front nine, he holed an eight foot putt on the par three 13th hole to reach nine under. Two more birdies at the 16th and 17th holes meant a birdie on the 18th would put the 29 year old in the history books.
Having found the fairway, Jamieson’s approach shot trickled in the fringe beyond the pin, leaving him a chip shot of around ten yards for a 59. With three feet to go the ball looked destined for the hole, but it slid past the right edge leaving Jamieson on his knees and a score of 60 on his card.
Jamieson required just 20 putts that day.
I was definitely nervous - Scott Jamieson
“When I birdied the 13th, I said to my caddy ‘a few more and we could be part of history,’” Jamieson said after his round. “I was definitely nervous, but thinking about it from the tournament point of view the leaders are going to be a minimum of 16, 17 maybe 18 under going into tomorrow, so that kept me going.”
It did not take long for fans at the Portugal Masters to see another run at history. Twelve months later, Nicolas Colsaerts came to Vilamoura having finished tied fourth at the ISPSHANDA Wales Open two weeks before.
During the opening round, the Belgian got off to a good, if not spectacular start. He was three under par when he made his way down the ninth fairway, and made birdie there for a front nine 31. Birdies at the 10th, 11th and 12th holes made things interesting, and having made par on the 13th and 14th, Colsaerts eagled the short par four 15th. After following that upwith another eagle on the 589 yard 17th hole, the goal was clear: a birdie three on the last for 59.
The 32 year old found the right side of the fairway and then found the right side of the green, leaving 18 feet for history. He stuck the putt well, only to watch it trickle agonisingly close to the left edge of the hole.
When I made eagle on 15, I knew then that if I birdied the last three, that would have been 59 - Nicolas Colsaerts
“So I parred 16 and then walking down the fairway on 17, I said to my caddie after I hit a good drive, ‘it’s 59 or nothing’. On the last, it’s just too bad it (the putt) just shaved the edge. I thought it was going to be slightly left to right at the end, but it kind of went straight and basically just left it hanging. Too bad.”
Whilst preferred lies were in force that day, Colsaerts’ round would still have been the first 59 carded on the European Tour.
Alas, we’re back two years later and still waiting for our first Mr. 59. Can Thomas Pieters, Andy Sullivan or Alex Noren be the one to sign for the first sub-60 round in European Tour history?
Stay tuned this week to find out.
