Brandt Snedeker breaks 60 in style at Wyndham Championship

By Keith Jackson

Highlights of Brandt Snedeker's magnificent 11-under 59 on the opening day of the Wyndham Championship - just the 10th sub-60 score in PGA Tour history

Brandt Snedeker enjoyed a historic opening day of the Wyndham Championship as he became only the ninth player to break 60 in PGA Tour history.

Snedeker's astonishing 11-under 59 at Sedgefield Country Club in North Carolina actually began with a bogey at the 10th, but he responded with 10 birdies and a spectacular slam-dunk hole-out for eagle as he raced into a five-shot lead over the field.

Image: Brandt Snedeker is only the ninth player to break 60 on the PGA Tour

The 37-year-old got over his blemish at the 10th and, after two settling pars, a 25-foot putt for birdie at the 13th ignited a run of four consecutive birdies before a pair of pars capped a back-nine 32.

But Snedeker all-round game really caught fire on the outward half as he began to pepper the pins with his precision irons, converting three straight chances from inside six feet from the first to the third.

Brandt Snedeker joins Tim Barter at the Sky Cart to reflect on his amazing 59, which started with a bogey and ended with a 20-foot birdie putt to break 60

A good up-and-down for another birdie at the long fifth was followed by the shot of the day, a perfect 176-yard seven-iron which landed straight in the cup for a slam-dunk eagle-two, although he had no idea his ball had found the hole until he arrived at the green to a warm ovation from the growing gallery following his group.

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An inspired Snedeker then drilled another pure iron to two feet at the tough 223-yard seventh and tapped in for birdie to get to 10 under for the round, but he then missed a great chance for another at the next when he misread a six-foot putt for a three.

PGA Tour 59 club

After Brandt Snedeker opened the Wyndham Championship with a stunning 59, we look at the nine players to have broken 60 for 18 holes on the PGA Tour

Snedeker's chances of a 59 look slim when his approach to the ninth found the front-right fringe, 20 feet from the hole, but his perfect putt dropped into the centre of the cup to leave the American celebrating the first sub-60 round on the PGA Tour since Adam Hadwin at the CareerBuilder Challenge in January last year.

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His incredible run of scoring on the front nine was also only the 12th score of 27 for nine holes on the PGA Tour, and his overall 59 was two strokes better than his career-best 61.

Image: Snedeker covered the front nine in just 27 shots

"To step up and have a 20-footer and know what it means, when I knocked that putt in it was really special to know that I'm part of a small club on tour," said Snedeker afterwards.

"It was a crazy day. You start off with a bogey, a snap-hook three-wood off the 10th tee, but I made some long putts on the front nine and got hot on back nine.

Image: Snedeker holed from 20 feet at the last to card a 59

"It's very rare out here when you have something to do and you step up with this pressure and you do it. If you don't get excited for that, then you need to find another job.

"To roll that last putt in was such a cool feeling. I got so excited, goosebumps, and jumping around like I won the golf tournament and it's Thursday morning! I'll have to get the emotions in check this afternoon, get back to reality."

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