Al Geiberger made history in 1977 when he shot a 59 in the PGA Tour, becoming the first person to achieve this feat. He initially believed that others would soon follow suit, but it took 14 years before the next 59 was recorded by Chip Beck in 1991. Geiberger’s accomplishment was considered the gold standard for scoring on the tour, with his 59 overshadowing his PGA Championship victory and earning him the nickname Mr. 59. However, the recent surge in sub-60 rounds on the PGA Tour has diminished the novelty of this achievement.
In June 2021, Cameron Young shot an 11-under 59 at the Traveler’s Championship, followed by Hayden Springer’s 12-under 59 at the John Deere Classic a few days later. Both rounds were shot on courses where a 59 had been achieved before. Geiberger, now 86 years old, is not surprised by these recent sub-60 rounds, as he believes advancements in equipment, course grooming, and putting have made low scores more attainable in today’s game. He credits the current trend towards drivable par-4s as one of the reasons why players are shooting lower scores, including sub-60 rounds.
Geiberger, who was a 11-time winner on the regular tour and 10-time winner on the PGA Tour Champions, believes that the increase in sub-60 rounds is a result of various factors aligning, making it easier for players to achieve this milestone. He acknowledges that the game has evolved significantly since he shot his 59 at the demanding Colonial course in 1977. Despite facing physical challenges that have kept him off the course for almost 18 months, Geiberger still follows the tour closely and notes that 59s seem to come in spurts at certain courses.
He highlights the fact that while his 59 was 13-under par on a challenging course, some of the more recent 59s were shot on shorter layouts with lower par scores. These differences in par values and course conditions have led to discussions about comparing different sub-60 rounds in terms of difficulty and conditions. Geiberger’s achievement of shooting a 59 remains significant in the history of professional golf, but the increasing frequency of sub-60 rounds has made this milestone less rare and more of a recurring event on the PGA Tour.
Despite facing health challenges that have limited his playing time, Geiberger’s legacy as the original member of golf’s ’59 club’ remains intact. His historic achievement in 1977 paved the way for other players to pursue the elusive sub-60 round on the PGA Tour. As the game of golf continues to evolve and players push the boundaries of scoring, the significance of shooting a 59 may shift, but Geiberger’s place in golf history as the original ‘Mr. 59’ will always be remembered.
