Eighteen-year-old Blades Brown missed a final-hole six-foot putt to shoot an incredible 59 at the American Express Open, but still finished with a course record to tie Scottie Scheffler for the lead after two rounds.
Brown needed a birdie from his final three holes but a wayward second shot on the par-five seventh left him scrambling for par, before he had to settle for par once again on the par-three eighth.
That left him one hole to clinch the birdie that would write him into the history books but his attempt was pushed right and went past the hole. That left him a short putt to seal the course record 60.
It is the lowest round in PGA Tour history by an 18-year-old since 1983 and puts him alongside Scheffler at the top of the leaderboard on 17 under par.
In his first round, he shot a strong 67 and then on Friday, Brown’s moment arrived. However, he will be agonising about being so close to being just the 16th-ever player to shoot a 59 on the PGA Tour.
And did Brown feel the pressure on the final hole?
“Absolutely, of course I did,” Brown said.
“I stuck to my game plan, I executed a game plan I could control. I couldn’t get it this time but I am so stoked.
“I was actually pretty calm I was just looking at how beautiful this golf course was – I was just looking at the water out there.
“Sometimes you just need something to calm you down and I just said ‘I am going to execute this shot I can and putt this line I see’.
“Unfortunately it didn’t go in but I am happy with the outcome I had today.
“Scottie is an unbelievable player and to have my name next to his name on the leaderboard.
“This weekend I am just going to focus on executing the shots I can and seeing what happens.
“I am going to go take a nap them tee it up tomorrow.”
Starting on the back nine, six birdies and an eagle raised eyebrows and piqued interest, with Brown rounding the corner without dropping a shot as pars on the 17th and 18th saw him eight under.
His front nine was not as electrifying but birdies on the second fourth, fifth, and sixth saw him enter the final three holes needing one birdie to add his name to the history books.
It was made all the more dramatic by the fact that on Wednesday afternoon, the 18-year-old finished 17th at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour in what was their second event of the season. Then, he flew over 3,000 miles to California with no practice rounds to take part in The American Express.
Meanwhile, Scheffler accompanied a first-round 63 with a second-round 64 as he added eight birdies and no bogeys and is now accompanied by the teenager at the top of the table on 17-under after a sensational 12-under 60.
Watch every round of The American Express live on Sky Sports Golf, with Saturday’s early coverage under way from 4.30pm. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and more on NOW.
Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland
