David Skinns fired among the finest rounds in PGA Tour historical past on Thursday on the Sanderson Farms Championship.
Justin Casterline/Getty Photographs
Numerous gamers went low within the opening spherical of the 2024 Sanderson Farms Championship, however veteran David Skinns took it to an entire different stage, firing a 60 to open up a three-shot lead after 18 holes.
Making the feat extra spectacular is the truth that the Nation Membership of Jackson is taking part in to a par-72 this week, so Skinns needed to go 12 underneath on Thursday to signal for his 6-0. However regardless of his epic efficiency, which featured 12 birdies and 6 pars, the 42-year-old English professional was left feeling ‘disenchanted.’
That’s as a result of his glowing 60 was oh-so-close to being a historic 13-under 59, which might have been solely the fifth such spherical in PGA Tour historical past. (Fourteen gamers have damaged 60, most of them on par-70 or par-71 layouts.)
Most intriguing participant on the PGA Tour this week? Attempt the 71-year-old
When Skinns stepped on the par-4 ninth tee on Thursday afternoon, his remaining gap of the day, he was coming off back-to-back birdies and wanted another on the final to hit the magic sub-60 quantity.
He piped his drive down the center of the ninth fairway, then hit an exquisite strategy that left him with a nine-foot putt to make historical past. Sadly for Skinns, his putt slid by, and he settled for a 59, therefore the frustration.
Skinns defined his combined emotions to reporters after the spherical was full Thursday night.
“It’s laborious to not be just a little bit disenchanted as a result of what number of nine-footers are you going to get to shoot 59? I’m certain I’m not going to get many,” Skinns lamented. “Robust to not be just a little bit disenchanted, however I actually wish to simply look again on how form of in management mentally I felt, how I stored attacking. Wasn’t actually interested by the longer term in any respect, which is form of the factor I’m going to remove from at present.”
He then went into extra element on his learn and what he’d change if he may get a re-do.
“I had it about most likely a ball exterior the cup. If I may do it once more I’d have it a cup exterior. However yeah, simply broke far more than I assumed. I assumed it was extra downgrain than throughout the grain. That’s form of this golf course. Typically the grain is just a little completely different to what you suppose,” Skinns defined. “Simply so occurred that that was for a 59. However there have been lots on the market that I acquired proper, so I’m going to concentrate on those that I acquired proper.”
And he acquired an entire lot proper within the first spherical. He cut up his 12 birdies evenly throughout each nines, draining six a facet with the assistance of a number of lengthy putts. However no putt was longer than his 54-footer for birdie on the seventh gap, his third-to-last of the day, which gave him a gap to strive for 59.
‘Devastation and destruction’: Tour professional rode out Hurricane Helene in Augusta dwelling
He additionally admitted that “anyone on the planet” would take his spherical of 60.
“It was simply a kind of nice days. I had just a few go in that weren’t anticipated. One from off the inexperienced on 15 after which a pair — the one on 7, the par-3, was sudden. I simply occurred to hit an incredible putt and skim it completely,” Skinns mirrored. “It was simply a kind of dream days the place I used to be by no means actually in a foul spot. Even when I missed a fairway, I used to be in an okay spot, after which [on the] par-5s wedged it properly, and yeah, took benefit once I may.”
And whereas he’d like to get one other crack at his remaining putt for 59, he was nonetheless greater than happy together with his efficiency on Thursday, and that he was in a position to maintain his hopes for a 59 alive till they very finish, even because the strain rose towards the tip of the spherical.
“Yeah, I’d need it again now, however such as you stated, it felt pretty in management, and I used to be happy with the best way I performed these previous couple of holes. Again of the thoughts it’s simple to start out interested by it, however happy with the best way I didn’t get forward of myself, and happy with the best way I stayed aggressive.”
Skinns units off for the second spherical of the Sanderson Farms on Friday at 2:18 p.m. ET. Along with his shot at 59 behind him, he now will practice his concentrate on capturing his first-career PGA Tour victory.
