Michael Kim turned the 3M Open into a full-on thrill ride on Friday, carving out a place in PGA Tour history with a closing birdie that pushed him into rare company. The 33-year-old was chasing a sub-60 round and did not flinch when the pressure hit its peak on the 18th hole, finishing with a 59 and a three-shot cushion at the top of the leaderboard.
Everything came down to one last putt on the par-5 18th, where Kim’s wedge settled on the fringe and left him with 24 feet to work with. He knew the danger was leaving it short, and he made that mindset crystal clear: “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,” Kim said.
He did more than get it there. Kim dropped the birdie, let out a burst of fist pumps, and signed for one of the most memorable rounds in recent PGA Tour memory, becoming just the 16th player ever to shoot under 60 in tour history.
The round had the kind of rhythm that makes golf feel almost unreal. Kim opened a barrage of birdies starting on the third hole, stacking five straight before steadying himself with a par at No. 8, then catching fire again by birdieing three of the next four holes. He finished with four birdies in a row, which is the sort of stretch that can blow a tournament wide open in a hurry.
What made the day even more impressive was the quality of the putting. Eight of his 11 birdies came from more than 10 feet out, which tells you this was not just a hot putter, but a putter that stayed locked in for 18 holes. “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,” he said.
Kim also seemed to understand the moment before the moment arrived. With the historic number within reach, he didn’t try to play it safe or hide from the pressure, instead choosing to attack the finish with the same confidence he showed all round long. “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.
The score moved him to the front by three over Ben Kohles, but Kim was not interested in acting like the job was finished. The weekend still loomed, and he made it clear the hard part was only beginning as he tried to protect his advantage and keep the good vibes rolling in Minnesota.
That said, the number itself already stood out on its own. Kim’s 59 was the fourth on the PGA Tour since 2024, following Jake Knapp’s effort in the opening round of the 2025 Cognizant Classic, while Jim Furyk still owns the standard with a 58 at the 2016 Travelers Championship.
Rounds like this have a way of sticking around in the mind because they feel equal parts precision and nerve. Kim had both going, and on a day when every putt seemed to listen, he turned a big tournament round into one of those scoreboard moments fans will keep circling long after the final group has walked off the course.
