Will there be a 57 on the PGA Tour?
At the recent Gulfstream Classic in Japan, a PGA Tour event, Matt McCarty stood on the final tee, needing a birdie to shoot 58.
The par 59 remains a magical moment for the left-hander.
But after eight consecutive birdies, the golf gods fought back. McCarty blocked his tee shot to the left and had to reload from the tee.
He actually birdied his second shot, but five bogeys meant the American had to settle for 60.
But McCarty’s explosive scoring still sparked a lot of discussion.
Had he birdied the 27-year-old’s incredible 58, he would have tied Jim Furyk for the lowest round score in PGA Tour history.
Some even point to different results.
If McCarty had found the fairway early on and holed the ball with his wedge—which he almost did on the second ball—he would have shot 57!
So is this extraordinary number really achievable?
With so many birdies on the PGA Tour and balls flying farther, ultra-low numbers are becoming more and more likely.
So far in 2025, we’ve had 59 points from Jake Knapp and 60 points from McCarty, Kurt Kitayama and Adam Svensson.
In 2024, there were two 59s: one by American Ryder Cup star Cam Young and the other by Hayden Springer. There are also seven 60s.
OK, those numbers are impressive, but can the boundaries really be pushed any further?
Supporting evidence comes from travel around the world.
In 2023, Bryson DeChambau shot a 58 at LIV Golf Greenbrier, making headlines and generating tons of clicks on social media.
South Korea’s SH Kim shot 58 on the Japan Tour two years ago, while local player Ryo Ishikawa also shot 58 in another Japan Tour event in 2010.
Returning to U.S. shores, Frankie Capan III (2024) and Stephan Jaeger (2016) also join the Korn Ferry (formerly Web.com) Tour’s “58” club.
Spaniard Alejandro del Rey also shot the same score – 72! – on the Challenge Tour.
But look at Korn Ferry’s all-time list, and yes, it’s right there: 57!
Chilean Cristobal del Solar played this incomprehensible round at the 2024 Astara Golf Championship.
Not surprisingly, this earned him the nickname “Mr. 57.”
So maybe it’s just a matter of time before he shares that nickname with a PGA Tour star.
Could it happen this year?
There are four events left – the Bank of Utah Championship, the World Technical Championship, the Bermuda Championship and the RSM Classic.
The lowest rounds of these events?
60 – Adam Swenson (Bank of Utah)
61 – Roland Thatcher, Victor Hovland (Global Technology)
61 – Tyler Pendris (Bermuda Championship)
60 – Sebastian Munoz (RSM Classic)
57 or even below 60 looks optimistic, but who can say?
If not this year, what about next year?
McCarty’s round at Baycurrent was special and a reminder that if these guys perform well — the southpaw isn’t even ranked in the top 50 in the world — shocking scores for amateurs are achievable.
Continue reading: Seven Ryder Cup records that will never be broken
