Garrido Flirts With Fabled 59

First round leader Ignacio Garrido of Spain raised the spectre of a history-making 59 during this week’s Barclays Singapore Open at Sentosa Golf Club.

Garrido flirted with the magic number on his way to a nine-under-par 62 over The Tanjong Course on Thursday.

There has never been a 59 on the European or Asian Tours but Garrido’s close shave raised the possibility of the fabled barrier being broken in Friday’s second round.

The lowest score on a major Tour was a 58 by Japanese teen sensation Ryo Ishikawa in The Crowns in May. On the PGA Tour, Al Geiberger, Chip Beck, David Duval, Stuart Appleby and Paul Goydos share the record at 59.

"A 59 did cross my mind. I was eight under par when I started today and I hit it very close on the 13th, the par three and I thought...mmmm, if I get to nine here then it is only three more shots I need," said Garrido.

"Unfortunately, I missed the putt but you can’t really calculate these things, you just have to play hole by hole.

"However, at least I did have a shot at a 59 which I can’t say has happened too often in my career.

"Okay it was from the fairway bunker on the 18th fairway and I had 140 metres to the pin but at least it was a shot at a 59 - you can’t take that away from me. Usually I am on the 13th hole when I am standing over my 59th shot."

This year’s Barclays Singapore Open is being played on the Serapong and Tanjong Courses, with the latter regarded as the easier of the two par-17 layouts.

Garrido was eight-under-par when he restarted his rain-delayed first round on Thursday morning. He picked up two more birdies before finishing the round with a disappointing bogey.

"It was definitely a good round but I just missed my drive a little bit on the last hole and found the fairway bunker which cost me a shot," he said, who has had three top-15 finishes in his last three events including a second place in the Castellon Masters.

Garrido led after the first round by a shot from Korea’s Kim Bi-o and Chris Wood of England, who both finished their rounds on Thursday.