Michael Kim’s Historic Round at the 3M Open

Michael Kim made a remarkable achievement at the 3M Open by nearly reaching a rare milestone in PGA Tour history. Kim, 33, aimed for what would be only the 16th sub-60 round on the tour. Going into the final hole at TPC Twin Cities, Kim faced a 24-foot putt for birdie. His sole focus was simple: make sure not to leave the putt short.

Details of Kim’s Round

On his approach to the 18th hole, Kim’s wedge shot landed near the green. As he prepared for the crucial putt, his thoughts echoed a determined refrain. He urged himself to ensure the ball reached the hole, avoiding the common mistake of short strokes, particularly on uphill attempts.

“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 reflected.

His resolve paid off. Kim sent the ball straight to the bottom of the cup, celebrating with enthusiastic fist pumps.

A Strategic Approach

Kim entered the final stages of his round with full awareness of the historic potential. Determined to make the shot himself rather than rely on chance, Kim pushed to deliver quality swings at each opportunity.

“I just kind of told myself, ‘Hey, this is the way, this is the moment to get into the history books,’” Kim shared.

Throughout his round, Kim excelled with impressive runs. Beginning on the third hole, he secured five birdies consecutively. After making par on the eighth hole, he followed with three birdies over the next four holes. His finish was impeccable with four straight birdies, demonstrating excellent skill with the putter as he sank eight birdies from over 10 feet away.

“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,” Kim expressed.

A Bright Lead

Kim’s historic round granted him a three-shot lead over competitor Ben Kohles. Despite the impressive accomplishment, Kim remains focused on upcoming rounds.

“Today was an awesome day, but still, I’m only halfway there so still need to kind of get focused up for the weekend,” Kim noted.

Kim’s achievement marks the fourth occasion of a 59 on tour since 2024. Previously, Jake Knapp achieved this in the 2025 Cognizant Classic. The tour record stands with Jim Furyk’s 58 at the 2016 Travelers Championship.