Michael Kim’s 59 at the 3M Open Rewrites the Numbers – and the Narrative – at TPC Twin Cities

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1. Michael Kim fires historic 59, Ben Kohles three back at TPC Twin Cities  PGA Tour
2. 3M Open: Michael Kim feels ‘pretty cool’ after a historic round of 59  BBC
3. Michael Kim makes a comment about Scottie Scheffler after shooting 59 at the 3M Open  hitc.com
4. Michael Kim shoots 59 at 3M Open, sinking dramatic birdie at the 18th for history  PGA Tour
5. Chasing historic 59, Michael Kim knew exactly how to handle the moment  Yahoo Sports

Sub‑60 Perfection in Minnesota

On a course built to reward aggression but framed by water on nearly every hole, Michael Kim produced one of the most exacting rounds of golf seen on the PGA Tour in recent years: a bogey‑free 12‑under‑par 59 at the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities.

Kim’s second round featured 12 birdies and no dropped shots on the par‑71 layout in Blaine, Minnesota. He closed with four consecutive birdies, holing from long range on the 18th to reach 59 and secure a lead of three strokes over Ben Kohles heading into the weekend. TPC Twin Cities has yielded low scores since the 3M Open joined the tour schedule in 2019, but had never before seen a sub‑60 round in this event.

The 59 places Kim in a select group as the 16th player to post a round of 59 or better in PGA Tour history. It also sets a new course record at TPC Twin Cities and stands as the lowest round ever recorded at the 3M Open.

How Kim Built the 59

Kim’s card was built on sustained momentum rather than a single hot stretch. He attacked the front nine with a run of birdies that immediately moved him up the leaderboard, then managed his position through the middle of the round before accelerating again coming home.

Key elements of the round included:

• A flawless card: 12 birdies, 6 pars, 0 bogeys.
• Relentless finish: four straight birdies from the 15th to the 18th.
• A decisive putt on the final green to reach the sub‑60 mark and set a new course record.

Kim’s control into the greens at TPC Twin Cities – a course that rewards precise iron play but punishes any miss towards water – allowed him to attack a series of receptive pins while staying clear of the penalty areas that routinely disrupt rounds at this event.

The Course, the Tournament, and the Context

Now in its established slot on the PGA Tour’s regular‑season schedule, the 3M Open is played over four rounds of stroke play at TPC Twin Cities, a par‑71 course measuring just over 7,400 yards. Birdies are available, but with multiple holes bringing water into play off the tee and around the greens, the layout often produces wide scoring dispersion: deep red numbers from those in control, double bogeys from those who are not.

Within that framework, a 59 is both structurally possible and statistically rare. The tournament has seen rounds of 60 and low‑60s in previous years, yet Kim’s effort moves the scoring baseline for what is achievable in calm conditions in Minnesota.

His lead over Kohles at the halfway stage also re‑sets the competitive dynamic of the week. A three‑shot cushion after 36 holes allows Kim to dictate targets and strategy in the third round rather than chase them, while the chasing pack must decide how aggressively to take on the risk‑reward holes that define TPC Twin Cities.

Career Significance for Michael Kim

For Kim, the 59 arrives in the middle of a resurgent period in his career. He arrived in Minnesota already in form, having recently captured the Open de France on the DP World Tour and becoming the first American winner of that event in more than half a century. That result confirmed his ability to travel and win in demanding conditions; this round underlines that his ceiling in terms of scoring is among the highest on tour.

The 3M Open is a full‑field, regular‑season event on the PGA Tour calendar, contributing to FedExCup points and, by extension, to status, schedule flexibility and access to signature events. A win off the back of a 59 would combine an iconic single‑round achievement with a tangible step forward in season‑long positioning.

In the wider ecosystem, such performances also feed into the Official World Golf Ranking, which synthesises results across tours into a single global measure of form. While the ranking impact will only be fully clear once the tournament finishes, a strong weekend from a lead built on 59 would give Kim a meaningful boost in that system.

Kohles and the Chasing Pack

Ben Kohles, three shots back after two rounds, remains firmly in contention. A deficit of that size at TPC Twin Cities is significant but not decisive, particularly on a course that has previously yielded double‑digit under‑par winning totals for the week.

The presence of a 59 on the board changes the psychology of the chase. A low‑60s round may no longer feel sufficient for players trying to close the gap, encouraging more aggressive lines off the tee and into greens. On a layout framed by water, that can rapidly separate those whose games are fully in control from those marginally off.

Handling the Pressure of a Magic Number

Sub‑60 rounds often hinge not just on ball‑striking but on decision‑making as the round unfolds and the player begins to calculate what is needed. Kim’s ability to continue playing assertive golf over the closing stretch – rather than defending a low number – was decisive.

He arrived on the 18th tee needing one more birdie to get into the 50s and chose a line and club selection that left a realistic look at the putt he needed. The final stroke dropped for 59 rather than 60, turning an outstanding day into a historic one and ensuring his name will remain in any future discussion of the game’s lowest rounds.

What the 59 Means for the Rest of the Week

Practically, Kim’s round reshapes the target score likely required to contend. When one player reaches 14‑under‑par through two days on a par‑71 course, the projected winning total tends to migrate lower. That influences how aggressively players attack the scorable par‑5s and the drivable or semi‑drivable par‑4s over the weekend.

Strategically, Kim now moves from chasing to defending. With a three‑shot lead, he can afford to play conservatively away from the most penal water hazards while still taking advantage of the softer, more accessible pins. The field behind him, including Kohles, has less margin to choose that conservative option if they hope to apply pressure.

For the tournament itself, Kim’s 59 becomes part of the event’s identity. The 3M Open has evolved quickly from a new stop on the schedule into a venue capable of producing defining statistical moments. That helps the event’s positioning on the calendar and reinforces the perception of TPC Twin Cities as a course where elite shot‑making can be fully rewarded.

A Global Signal from a Domestic Event

Although the 3M Open is a U.S.‑based event, Kim’s 59 resonates beyond the PGA Tour’s core markets. With the modern calendar built around players moving between circuits in North America, Europe and Asia, a sub‑60 round from a golfer who has recently won in Europe underscores how connected the men’s professional game has become.

For international audiences, the number is simple and universal. Whether or not viewers follow FedExCup permutations or ranking points, 59 is easily understood as a threshold very few have crossed. Kim’s round at TPC Twin Cities will now sit alongside other landmark scoring days in the contemporary story of elite golf – and it has already re‑shaped both this week’s leaderboard and the trajectory of his season.