England’s David Skinns made headlines on Thursday at the PGA Sanderson Farms Championship by shooting a remarkable course-record 12-under par 60, taking the lead in the tournament.
The 42-year-old golfer, currently ranked 149th in the world, narrowly missed a chance to score a 59 when he missed a nine-foot par putt on his final hole, the par-4 ninth at the Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi.
“It’s hard not to be a little bit disappointed because how many nine-footers are you going to get to shoot 59?” Skinns reflected. “I’m sure I’m not going to get many more opportunities like that.”
Despite the missed opportunity, Skinns emphasized the positive aspects of his performance, noting how mentally in control he felt throughout the round. “I kept attacking. I wasn’t really thinking about the future at all, which is the key takeaway from today.”
Skinns began his round with back-to-back birdies at the 10th hole and continued his strong play with additional birdies at holes 14 through 17, and the second through fifth holes. He also added birdies at seven and eight.
“It was just one of those dream days where I was never really in a bad spot,” Skinns said. “Those are the rounds you look back on and realize you’re 7-under and didn’t feel like you did much. It’s great to see a few go in that maybe don’t on other days.”
Although he settled for a career-low round, Skinns took his missed chance for a 59 in stride. “It just broke way more than I thought,” he said. “But I got a lot right today, so I’m going to focus on the positives.”
