BLAINE, MINNESOTA – JULY 24: Michael Kim of the United States poses for photos with his scorecard after shooting a 59 during the second round of the 3M Open 2026 at TPC Twin Cities on July 24, 2026 in Blaine, Minnesota. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
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Michael Kim found himself on the 18th green at TPC Twin Cities Friday with a 24-foot birdie putt. This is not an unusual sight this week at the 3M Open as players routinely have birdie putts on the par 5 finishing hole. This, however, was not a normal birdie putt. Kim’s was to shoot a sub 60 round, the fabled 59.
With a chance at history, all golfers know one thing, you have to give it a run and get it to the hole. Michael Kim did just that, and as his birdie putt went in with authority, another round of 59 was added to the record books on the PGA Tour.
“I kind of remember thinking on 18 that you have to go for it,” Kim said, “60 or 61 doesn’t really make too much of a difference.”
Kim’s 12-under 59 (TPC Twin Cities is a par 71 for the 3M Open) was the first sub 60 round since Jake Knapp did it in 2025 and was the 16th round of 59 or better in PGA Tour history. For the round, Kim made 12 birdies and did not card a single bogey on his way into the record books.
Brilliant iron play was the catalyst for Kim’s spectacular round Friday. His first birdie came on the 3rd hole, where Kim rolled in a 13-foot putt. From there, Kim proceeded to birdie the next four holes as well, all with putts from inside the 13-foot distance he had on the third hole. He added a birdie at the difficult ninth hole to finish the front nine with a blistering 29.
BLAINE, MINNESOTA – JULY 24: Michael Kim of the United States celebrates after making birdie on the 18th green during the second round of the 3M Open 2026 at TPC Twin Cities on July 24, 2026 in Blaine, Minnesota. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
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Birdies on the 10th and 12th holes kept the hot play going for Kim as he started the back 9. After the 12th, Kim made pars on 13 and 14, sitting at -8 for the round. Standing on the 15th tee, a 59 seemed impossible, until Kim ran off four straight birdies, including an 18-foot putt on the 17th hole to go with the 24-footer he made on 18 to close out the round with a 59.
“There’s a lot of water on 17 and 18 and 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,” Kim said. “To be able to make some putts, and the putts that I made on 17 and 18 is what I get most from PGA Tour golf, from golf in general, so really proud of that.”
The 59 is both a career low for Kim and a course record at TPC Twin Cities. Kim currently sits at -14 heading into the weekend and has a three shot lead, but he knows there is more golf to play.
“We still have a long ways to go and that guy named Scottie Scheffler is probably going to throw up a good score today anyway,” Kim said. “Nowhere near done.”
Scheffler, the number one player in the world, opened with a bogey-free 66 on Thursday in front of massive Minnesota crowds. Friday was a different day for Scheffler, he struggled to get anything going and finished the second round only -1 and -7 for the tournament. With 36 holes to play, Michael Kim will have to hold off Scheffler and a slew of other players who are within striking distance of the lead.
Mike is a founding member of Break80 Golf and a contributing golf and sports writer for Forbes with PGA Tour and LIV Golf media credentials. Mike can be contacted at break80podcast@gmail.com for inquiries or story leads.