Al Geiberger was the first golfer to shoot a 59 in a major professional golf tour event.
Geiberger recorded the historic round during the second round of the 1977 Memphis Classic, a PGA Tour event, at Colonial Country Club in Memphis, Tennessee. He finished the round with 11 birdies and one eagle for a score of 59, which was 13 under par on the course.
The achievement was especially remarkable because no player had previously broken 60 in a recognized major professional tour event. Geiberger’s feat earned him the nickname “Mr. 59” and remained one of golf’s most memorable scoring milestones.
A 59 is not the same as the lowest possible score relative to par on every course: the number of strokes under par depends on the course’s par. Later golfers, including David Duval and Jim Furyk, also shot 59 on the PGA Tour, but Geiberger was first.