AUSTRALIAN golfer Stuart Appleby has become only the fifth person in US PGA Tour history to shoot a 59.
Appleby came out firing on the final day of the Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia shooting 11 under to take his ninth US PGA Tour career title by one stroke.
The Victorian shot nine birdies and one eagle to become the first non American to achieve the feat on the tour.
The others to join the 59 club were Al Geiberger in 1977, Chip Beck in 1991, David Duval in 1999 and Paul Goydos just three weeks ago at the John Deere Classic.
Appleby has been struggling somewhat in the past couple of years and had not broken 65 since 2006 in a tour event, a span of some 358 rounds.
His 59 saw him jump seven spots on the leaderboard, taking the title with a 72 hole 22-under 258 total for a one-stroke victory over American Jeff Overton.
“I had been playing well for a while but nothing to indicate ‘Draino, Draino (draining so many putts),”‘ Appleby said.
“Nice to get on that horse. I’m going to ride it as long as I can.”
A regular on the US PGA Tour since 1996, the man from Cohuna in Victoria has now claimed a total of nine US PGA Tour wins, the latest coming 13 years after his maiden victory back in 1997.
His previous career low round was 62, which he shot at the 2003 Las Vegas Invitational.
The win today not only gave Appleby, currently languishing at 159th in the world, the winner’s cheque of US$1,080,000 (AUD$1,192,987.90.) but also booked him a spot in next week’s World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational at Akron, Ohio.
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