A professional golfer completed a sub-60 round for the second time this year.
LIV Golf’s Joaquin Niemann did it for the first time at the year’s first event in Mayakoba in February. And on Saturday, American John Catlin set an Asian Tour record by shooting his own 59 in the third round of the Macau International Series.
“I was almost speechless,” said Katrin. said after that to South China Morning Post.
“It hasn’t fully sunk in yet.”
Catlin shot an 11-under 59 in dramatic fashion. 20 feet of drainage for eagles Reaching golf’s holy number on the par-5 18th hole.
“Pat is [on 18] He was a big, left-to-right swinger,” Catlin said of his eagle.
“We just happened to have the same pace and line.”
Catlin is currently at 18 under after 54 holes, holding a two-stroke lead over fellow American Jason Kokrak.
Of the 13 players within five strokes of Catlin, seven play at LIV Golf, including Kokrak, Patrick Reed, Pat Perez and Australian Lucas Herbert.
Katrin, on the other hand, does not play on the LIV golf circuit. He lost his DP World Tour card last year and has only played in four tournaments so far in 2024. He withdrew from the Thailand Tour’s Boonchu Luangkit Championship, tied for third at the Malaysian Open on the Asian Tour, and then tied for 50th. At the Magical Kenya Open, a DP World Tour event.
He struggled on the track and had a difficult few years. His last professional win came at the 2021 Austrian Golf Open on the DP World Tour.
“It’s very special to be here considering everything I’ve been through over the past two years,” Catlin said.
Catlin isn’t starved for talent either. The American won two major events on the three-week DP World Tour in 2020: the Andalusia Masters and the Irish Open. In 2018, he won three Asian Tour tournaments and received the Asian Tour Player of the Year award.
But this week, the University of New Mexico product needed a special invitation to compete in the International Series Macau.
And so far, he has made the most of the opportunity.
Catlin shot rounds of 67 and 66 to keep herself in contention through 36 holes. He then began a magical third round with an incredible 6-under 28, including six birdies.
He also got birdies on the 11th and 13th.
“I didn’t realize I hit 28 on the front nine, so I didn’t have the magic number in my head until number 17,” Catlin said.
The 17th was a 238-yard par 3, and Catlin birdied that hole as well.
He reached 18th place on the day at 9 under, but needed three strokes at the end to reach that elusive number.
“I thought we were three spots down in the final round,” Catlin said of his state of mind on the 18th tee.
“And I just hit two beautiful shots there.”
Indeed, he was.
Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through.Be sure to check it out @_PlayingThrough Cover more golf. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko In the same way.
