Trending
BLAINE, Minn. -- Michael Kim shot the 15th 59 in PGA Tour history Friday, making a 24-foot putt for birdie on the 18th hole at the 3M Open.
Kim birdied the final four holes of his bogey-free round at TPC Twin Cities to get to 14 under for the tournament and open a a three-shot lead over three players after two rounds.
Ben Kohles, who had a two-shot lead entering the day, shot a 69 to drop into a tie for second with Chandler Phillips (65) and Emiliano Grillo (67).
Two bad swings cost Scottie Scheffler, and the world's top-ranked player was seven shots back after 70.
Kim had the fourth 59 on tour since 2024. Jake Knapp was the last to do so during the first round of the 2025 Cognizant Classic. Jim Furyk holds the tour record with a 58 at the 2016 Travelers Championship.
"Today was an awesome day, but still, I'm only halfway there so still need to kind of get focused up for the weekend," said Kim, who shot 69 Thursday.
Kohles' post-round interview was interrupted by a roar when Kim made his final putt.
"That's sick," he said smiling. "There's a 59. I guess 62 wasn't as good."
Kim's mindset is to not play "too protective." That is not easy at the par-3 17th and par-5 18th where water lines each hole.
"I just kind of told myself like, 'Hey, this is the way, this is the moment to get into the history books and let's go for it, let's not try to luck our way into it, let's try to step up and hit some really good shots,'" he said.
Kim needed to make an uphill 24-foot putt with little break on the final hole to reach the magic number.
"I tend to leave those short when it's that uphill and I just, last thing was just get it there, just don't leave it short," said Kim, who raised his hands and did a few fist bumps when the ball sank into the cup.
Kim, whose previous career low round was 62, made five straight birdies beginning on No. 3 and added three in a four-hole stretch beginning on No. 9.
Eight of his birdies were from more than 10 feet.
"When you hit a putt and it does exactly what you kind of envisioned before you hit it, it's an awesome feeling. Felt like that all day out there," said Kim, whose lone tour win came at the 2018 John Deere Classic.
Second in the Valero Texas Open in April, Kim's best finish in 12 tournaments since was 17th, and he missed four cuts, including the past three weeks at the British Open, Scottish Open and John Deere Classic.
LPGA Tour
TROON, Scotland -- South Korea's Jenny Shin led the Women's Scottish Open by five strokes after two rounds at Dundonald Links on Friday.
Shin started the second round with a bogey and shrugged it off with six birdies, including on her final hole, for a 5-under 67. She's at 11 under overall.
"Tried really hard not to make any three-putts," Shin said.
Shin was co-leader with American Lauren Coughlin on 6 under after day one of the tournament co-sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour and LPGA Tour. But Coughlin, who won the Aramco Championship in April and the Scottish Open in 2024, hit 2 over on Friday and dropped to 4 under and a tie for fourth with Japan's Erika Hara.
The closest to Shin was German golfer Esther Henseleit, who carded 4-under 68 with two birdies and an eagle.
South Korea's A Lim Kim remained at 5 under and in third place after an even par round with two birdies and two bogeys.
Asked about her earmuffs, Kim said, "They keep my ears warm and my confidence is higher."
World No. 1 Nelly Korda was at 4 over, two above the cut line, after finishing her round of 76 with four straight bogeys.
Defending champion Lottie Woad was in a tie for 11th at par after a 2-under 70.