CROMWELL, Conn. — Cameron Young made a par putt from just inside 10 feet for an 11-under 59 on Saturday in the third round of the Travelers Championship, the first sub-60 round on the PGA Tour in nearly four years.
Young made two eagles on par 4s, holing out with a wedge from 142 yards on No. 4 and driving to within four feet on No. 15, which was playing to 280 yards.
It was the 13th sub-60 round on the PGA Tour since Al Geiberger first shot golf’s “magic number” at the 1977 Memphis Classic. Scottie Scheffler had been the most recent to join the club, with his 59 coming on Aug. 21, 2020, during the second round of the Northern Trust at TPC Boston.
“I can’t say I was expecting it,” said Young, a 27-year-old American who is still seeking his first PGA Tour victory. “I’ve been playing better than the results have shown. Waking up this morning, I wasn’t really thinking I’m going to be 5 under through four. It was a lot of fun to do.”
Saturday’s performance, though, didn’t get Young the course record at TPC River Highlands. Jim Furyk shot a 58 in the final round of the 2016 Travelers Championship, the lowest round in PGA Tour history.
Young did help himself in this tournament, moving from a tie for 43rd after 36 holes to a tie for 10th after 54, five shots behind leader Tom Kim, who got to 18-under 192 with his second straight 65 after an opening 62. Kim had a one-stroke lead over Scheffler, who is No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking, and Akshay Bhatia after each of them shot a 64.
Meanwhile, three-time major winner Jordan Spieth became the only PGA Tour player to twice play with someone shooting a 59. Spieth also was in the group with Justin Thomas when he shot a 59 in the opening round of the 2017 Sony Open.
Young was able to lift, clean and place his golf ball in the short grass because of soggy course conditions and the potential of more rain, with the weather suspending play for nearly three hours later Saturday.
He could have gone even lower. After his eagle on the 15th hole, Young hit his tee shot to seven feet on the par-3 16th and missed the short birdie putt. On the closing hole, needing a birdie to tie Furyk’s record, his drive settled on the steep face of a fairway bunker and Young was unable to get it on the green.
He still made par for the seventh round of 59 or lower this year on professional tours around the world. The other six rounds at 59 or lower in 2024 include Joaquin Niemann in an LIV Golf League tournament and a record-tying 57 by Cristobal del Solar at a Korn Ferry Tour event.
“To have a day like today where things start going in, and it feels like you’re reward for good shots,” Young said, “it leaves me with a good taste in my mouth.”
Tee times for Sunday at TPC River Highlands have been moved forward because of more storms in the forecast, meaning the course isn’t likely to get any tougher. Preferred lies were in effect for the second consecutive round.