Jake Knapp fell just short of making PGA Tour history after carding a brilliant 59 in the opening round of the Cognizant Classic at Palm Beach Gardens.
The 30-year-old American, who began the day with five straight birdies, finished one shot adrift of Jim Furyk's record of 58 after tapping in for birdie on the par-five final hole having had a 19-foot eagle putt for a 58 that skirted wide.
There have now been 15 sub-60 rounds shot in Tour history, with 14 having been 59s.
Knapp might have enjoyed an even more impressive finish had his birdie attempt on the par-three 17th not narrowly missed, costing him a shot at the record Furyk set in 2016 at the Travelers Championship.
The most recent 59 on the PGA Tour was carded by Hayden Springer last year at the John Deere Classic.
Knapp is the clubhouse leader in Florida on 12-under following his bogey-free start, four shots clear of compatriots Daniel Berger and Russell Henley and Finland’s Sami Valimaki.
Rickie Fowler is among a quintet of players on seven-under, with major champions Jordan Spieth and Brian Harman are part of the grouping in tied-10th on six-under.
FULL LEADERBOARD
Shane Lowry is tied-16th on five-under par after an opening round 66. The 2019 Open champion carded six birdies in total, kick-starting his tournament by draining a 10-footer on the opening hole. Further birdies arrived at the fourth, the short seventh and the par-five 10th.
Back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14 saw Lowry climb into the top-10 before his first setback arrived on the 16th, Lowry pushing his approach into the water right of the green and taking bogey.
Lowry is among the favourites for the competition, with three top-five finishes on trot, a run which commenced with a runner-up finish to Sepp Straka in 2022. Last year, Lowry tied the lead entering the final round but a 71 on Sunday saw finish four strokes adrift of winner Aaron Eckroat in tied-fourth.
It was a more mixed opening round for Seamus Power, who opened with a two-under 69 to lie tied-75th in the 143-strong field.
Starting on the back nine, Power reached the turn in 34, with birdies on 10, 15 and 16, tossing in a bogey at 14. However, he struggled to make headway on his inward nine, a birdie on tthe par-five third hole cancelled out by a dropped stroke on the sixth.
