Aug 7, 2016; Cromwell, CT, USA; Jim Furyk makes his way through fans after shooting a PGA tour record 58 after the final round of the 2016 Travelers Championship golf tournament at TPC River Highlands. “I’m a little flabbergasted that I had the opportunity to break 60 again and was able to do so and to do it with a 58, it’s unbelievable”.
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“I am exhausted”, Kelly said, when asked about his age.
After a birdie at 4 and a par at 5, Furyk birdied the next seven holes to get to 11-under through 12. On May 2, 2010, the “Bashful Prince” had a 12-under-par final round to win The Crowns event on the Japan Golf Tour.
The performance vaulted him into a tie for fifth at 11-under, three shots behind Knox. Jim Furyk was one of the six who shared the honor of shooting the lowest round in a PGA tournament when he carded a 59 in 2013.
The previous course record was a 60 set by Patrick Cantlay in 2011 – ironically the last time Furyk, 46, played the Travelers. “It is probably going to take a little while for it to sink in and really put it into perspective for me”.
When Furyk’s round began, there were 10 people following him. But the fact I did it three years ago, you know, in the back of my mind I’ve got 11-under through 12 with six holes to play.
By the time he had reached the 18th green, those two goals had changed.
Knox holed a 13 foot putt at the final hole to save par and avoid a playoff after his final round of 68 saw him catch and pass the 54 hole leader, Daniel Berger who perhaps surprisingly struggled to a final round of 74.
Jim Furyk owns a place in PGA Tour history – in more ways than one.
Furyk’s 27 on the front nine bested the Travelers Championship nine-hole record by two shots.
Furyk left himself just under four feet short on his first putt but sank the second easily.
By then, what started as a trickling in the gallery had become an entire sea of spectators.
“I felt like the Incredible Hulk when it went in”, Knox said.
Best of the rest: A final-round 62 would stand out under most circumstances, but Sunday all it earned Thomas was second-billing.
After sizing it up, Furyk rolled the ball within two feet of the cup.
Furyk hugged caddie Mike Cowan and pumped his fists in celebration.
Russell Knox of Scotland shot a 68 to finish at 14 under par and win the tournament.
At 49, Kelly finished one shot shy of a playoff and a chance to become the tournament’s oldest champion, which remains Peter Jacobsen (49 years, 4 months and 23 days in 2003).
Even if Knox is not among the nine players to make the team automatically, he will be in line for one of Clarke’s three captain’s picks. He then missed birdie putts of twelve feet on the 14th hole and eight feet on the 15th hole.
Knox put his drive on No. 18 deep in the rough and his second shot in a bunker.
An ecstatic Knox flung his cap across the green when the winning putt dropped as his Canadian caddie Bradley Whittle celebrated a second victory at the event previously known as the Greater Hartford Open, having worked for 1994 victor David Frost.
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Victory has seen Knox vault up the Ryder Cup World Points list and is now right in the hunt for a place in Team Europe with a couple of events still to play before the August 28 qualifying deadline.
