Hadwin joins exclusive club with 59 at La Quinta
Canadian takes a one-shot lead in the desert after a 13-birdie, no-bogey round.
As they say, these guys are good.
Adam Hadwin shot a 13under-par 59 on Saturday in the CareerBuilder Challenge for the ninth sub-60 round in PGA Tour history and the second in 10 days.
In cool, clear conditions in the desert after rain the previous two days, the 29year-old Canadian made a six-foot birdie putt on the par-four 17th and got up and down for par from just off the green on the par-four 18th at La Quinta Country Club.
“Wow! I don’t really know what to say just yet. I think it’s still sinking in,” Hadwin said. “I think everybody talks about kind of they were in a zone and I think that’s kind of what happened. I was thinking about it. I knew exactly where I was. I knew exactly what I needed to do. It just didn’t seem to matter.”
Justin Thomas had an 11under 59 last week in Hawaii in the first round of his Sony Open victory. Hadwin matched David Duval’s tournament record, a 13under 59 on the Arnold Palmer Private Course in the final round of his 1999 victory. Jim Furyk shot a tourrecord 12-under 58 last year in the Travelers Championship.
Hadwin took the lead at 17-under 199 after starting the day tied for 49th. He played the first two days at PGA West, shooting 71 on the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course and 69 on the Stadium Course — the site of the final round Sunday.
“The Stadium Course is a much tougher course than La Quinta,” said Hadwin, who had 13 birdies and no bogeys. “It’s a Sunday. I got a chance to win a golf tournament. That’s what you want going into Sunday, and I’m excited about that. They say one of hardest things in golf is to follow up a low round. I have to figure out a way to convince myself that I just shot 67.”
Rookie Dominic Bozzelli was a stroke back after a 69 on the Nicklaus layout.
Second-round leader Hudson Swafford was 15 under with Bud Cauley, Brian Harman and Chad Campbell.