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December 15th 2011, Chonburi, Thailand: World number three Lee Westwood flirted with golf’s magical 59 before settling for a career low of 12-under-par 60 at the Asian Tour’s season-ending US$1 million Thailand Golf Championship on Thursday.
The Englishman came charging out of the blocks with four birdies and an eagle in his opening five holes at the Amata Spring Country Club and added six more birdies to open up a commanding five-shot lead from a back-in-form John Daly of the United States.
Thai veteran Thaworn Wiratchant was the highest placed Asian in joint third place on 68 alongside Frenchman Gregory Bourdy while Masters Tournament champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa was a further stroke back in equal fifth with amongst others, 52-year-old Lu Chien-soon of Chinese Taipei, England’s Simon Dyson and Kwanchai Tannin of Thailand.
“I am delighted to have shot 60. It’s one of the best rounds ever. It’s not an easy golf course.
I got off to a pretty good start, you’ve got to say that and hit a lot of good shots. Obviously I’ve been working a lot on my putting lately and I’m starting to get more comfortable with that and I started to roll some nice putts in. I’ve never shot a 60 before. Billy (Foster, his caddie) said my 62 two weeks ago at the Nedbank (in South Africa) was as good a round he’s ever seen but he said today was better. He’s a pretty good judge,” smiled Westwood.
The Englishman, who has won 36 times around the world, turned in 29 with birdies coming from inside of 15 feet. He agonizingly missed good chances down the stretch for what could have been a first ever 59 on the Asian Tour. His 60 matched China’s Liang Wen-chong’s 18-hole record and also established a new course mark at the 7,453-yard Amata Spring course.
“It doesn’t feel like a 60 golf course. We sat here yesterday and Sergio (Garcia) said it was a tricky golf course. They can tuck the flags and there were some Sunday flags out there. It showed how well I hit the golf ball and how close I hit it,” said Westwood, who is searching for his fourth victory of the year and second in the space of three weeks.
The thought of producing a rare 59 spurred him on but he missed chances on the 11th for eagle, and the 14th and 16th holes for birdies. He signed off the day with a 12-foot conversion in front of large galleries at Amata Spring. “It was in my mind to get to 13 under but it wasn’t to be. I gave myself a few chances. I don’t think you can be disappointed with a 60. I have to be a fairly harsh critic of myself to walk away disappointed. It’s one of the best rounds ever. It’s not an easy golf course,” he said.
Two-time Major winner Daly produced one of his best rounds in a while with five birdies and one eagle but tipped his cap off to the runaway leader, who was playing in the group ahead. “It was solid. I thought seven-under might be a low round but what Lee did was incredible,” said Daly.
“I got to see most it. Every time I saw him putt, he will bend over and pick the ball out of the hole. If he made the one on 17, he would have shot a 59. That was just one hell of a round. I would have never ever dreamed that I would shoot a seven-under let alone a 12-under. That was just an awesome round of golf.”
Thaworn, who has often regarded Amata Spring as being too long for his game, said he was lucky to enjoy a solid start. “Generally, I had a good round but I might have been slightly lucky. Before my round I aimed for an even par score so a four-under is beyond my expectation. My driving and putting were good. Honestly, I don’t expect to win, I want to make the cut first and see where I’ll go from there,” said the 44-year-old, who was Asia’s number one in 2005.
Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa and three-time Asian Tour number one Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand shot 70s while British Open champion Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland battled to a 71 after turning in 40.
