Michael Kim did something only 14 men had done before him on the PGA Tour. The American fired a flawless 12-under-par 59 in his second round at the 3M Open in Minnesota, draining a 24-foot birdie putt at the 18th at TPC Twin Cities to post just the 16th sub-60 round in tour history. Both arms went up, the fist pump followed, and Kim stood three shots clear of the field at 14 under par.

Perfect Round of Consecutive Birdies

The round was a thing of precision. Kim birdied five consecutive holes from the third through the seventh — an 11-footer at three, a 12-footer at four, approach to within five feet at five, a 10-footer at six, a two-footer at seven. Back-to-back birdies at nine and ten kept the momentum going, another at 12 before he launched his closing stretch with a birdie from just inside 12 feet at 15, then a 13-footer at 16 and a 17-footer at the par-three 17th. Twelve birdies, zero bogeys. His previous best was a 62.

Historic Achievement on PGA Tour

Kim is the 15th golfer to reach 59 on the US tour. Jim Furyk holds the outright record with a 58 at the 2016 Travelers Championship, having also shot 59 at the 2013 BMW Championship. Kim sits three clear of Ben Kohles, Emiliano Grillo and Callum Phillips at 11 under. Scottie Scheffler, who finished tied fourth at The Open last week, is seven back at minus seven. For our broader golf home coverage, Ryan Fox's Open triumph at Birkdale is the context framing this week's PGA Tour action.

Kim said the water guarding 17 and 18 focused his mind rather than tightened it — he told himself this was the moment to step up, not to luck his way in. Two more birdies followed. A 59 is pretty cool, he said, and he is right. The third round at TPC Twin Cities will tell us whether he can hold what is a commanding lead through the weekend.