The European Tour’s 60 Club

No-one has yet managed a 59 on the European Tour, but the 60 Club has 17 members, with Darren Clarke the only man to achieve the feat twice

There have been 18 official rounds of 60 on the European Tour dating from David Llewellyn’s in the 1988 AGF Biarritz Open to Peter Uihlein’s in the 2013 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Nicolas Colsaerts’ 60 in the 2014 Portgual Masters was deemed unofficial as preferred lies were in force during a very wet, and ultimately very short, week.

The eighteen 60s to date have varied from eight-under par to 12-under, with eight players achieving the latter.

While the magical 59 has thus far eluded European Tour campaigners, some of the 60s have probably been better rounds than some of the PGA Tour’s 59s that haven’t been as many under par.

The European Tour’s 12-under 60-shooters are…

Jamie Spence, Canon European Masters, 1992

Having seemingly shot himself out of it on Saturday, The Englishman surged through the field on Sunday, playing the last six holes in seven-under before defeating Anders Forsbrand on the second play-off hole with another birdie.

Spence remains the only man to shoot 60 in the final round for victory.

Bernhard Langer, Linde German Masters, 1997

Langer’s record-equalling effort came in round three en route to a comfortable six-shot victory on home soil.

He started off with a 4in tap-in birdie on the 1^st, with the highlight then a 20-yard chip-in eagle on the 5^th from through the back of the green.

Darren Clarke, Smurfit European Open, 1999

Clarke’s second career-round of 60 was three shots better to par than his first in Monte Carlo and “should have been better” according to playing partner, Ian Woosnam.

But despite joining the 60 Club and recording a hole-in-one in the third round, Clarke lost by three to old pal Lee Westwood after stumbling to a 75 on the final day.

Fredrik Jacobson, Linde German Masters, 2003

Same tournament, different course to Langer. The Swede used his putter just 21 times to take a three-shot lead after round one.

Having already made 10 birdies and an eagle, Jacobson stood on the final tee needing one more birdie for a 59, but in the end had to hole a 12-footer just to save par.

Ernie Els, Heineken Classic, 2004

The South African destroyed Alister MacKenzie’s Royal Melbourne masterpiece on day one with 11 birdies and an eagle, with only a dropped shot on 15 denying him the first ever 59.

Els got worse every day with rounds on 66, 68 and 74, but it was still good enough to pip Adam Scott by one.

Branden Grace, Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, 2012

Like his compatriot, Grace got worse every round after his stunning opening 60 at Kingsbarns, but still had enough in the bank to hold on by two for a fourth European Tour title of an incredible season.

Brandt Snedeker, WGC - HSBC Champions, 2012

Sneds gave himself a chance of a 59 with a 17-foot birdie putt on the last hole of the Mission Hills Olazabal Course in round three, but it wasn’t to be.

He couldn’t break 70 any other day, and finished T11th.

Peter Uihlein, Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, 2013

Like Grace, Uihlein’s 60 came at Kingsbarns, but on day two. With two eagles and eight birdies already in the bank, Uihlein faced a 25-foot birdie putt on the last to break 60.

He left it inches away, and then just missed out on the trophy too when David Howell beat him in a play-off for the title on Sunday at St Andrews.

Other European Tour 60s

11-under

Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Austrian Golf Open, 2009

Scott Jamieson, Portugal Masters, 2013

10-under

Paul Curry, Bell’s Scottish Open, 1992

Tobias Dier, TNT Open, 2002

Kenneth Ferrie, Open de Andalucía, 2011

9-under

Ian Woosnam, Torras Monte Carlo Open, 1990

Johan Ryström, European Monte Carlo Open, 1992

Darren Clarke, European Monte Carlo Open, 1992

Phillip Archer, Celtic Manor Wales Open, 2006

8-under

David Llewellyn, AGF Biarritz Open, 1988