Paul Goydos at the John Deere Classic: Anatomy of a 59

Driving to the John Deere Classic Thursday morning ESPN news flashed Paul Goydos was 10 under through 16 holes. Fifty-nine immediately flashed into my mind, 17’s a reachable par 5 and the 18th can be had with a good drive. Everything has to go just right for a low number and the Thursday set-up, rain soaked soft fairways and greens plus ball in hand, was exactly what Paul needed.

The caddie lot shuttle driver told me, “Somebody named Goydos was 11 under through 17.”
“You mean, Sunshine has a chance for 59,” I replied, explaining a bit about Paul and his affable nickname. This couldn’t happen to a more deserving fellow, single parent of three girls, and an 18-year veteran respected by all.

Walking across the range towards the caddie wagon everyone was abuzz; “Sunshine’s” 59 was in the books. Bumping into Chris Mazziati, Jeff Overton’s ex-caddie, I asked who he was caddying for these days. “Goydos” he sheepishly replied. “We never saw that one coming. We’ve missed a bunch of cuts the last few months but everything went right today.” Thirty-one on the front, 28 on the back add up to 59.

They had eight putts on the back nine, three out of the four par 3s Kresge or Byrd teed it up first showing them the proper club, a bunch of times their playing partners putted just outside “Sunshine” showing them the line and he drained it. He made bombs, never missed a short one, 22 putts in all. Kresge and Byrd contributed down the stretch talking about anything but golf in between shots. Both concentrated on Paul’s round more than theirs.

Nobody ever sees a 59 coming. My old boss Raymond Floyd was paired with “Mr. 59″ in 1977 and had no idea what Al was shooting. Caddying for Greg Twiggs in 1991 directly behind Chip Beck’s 59 at Sunrise Country Club, a pitch-and-putt course, we wondered what was taking him so long. My buddy Al Mellan working for Steve Pate during the 1999 Bob Hope still bemoans Duval blindsiding them. “It took a 59 to beat us” he cried in his beer that night and years to come.

Standing on the 16th with Larry Nelson during the 2000 Cincinnati Kroger Classic Thursday pro-am our amateur partner questioned, “You guys realize you’re 10 under?” Neither one of us had any idea; you don’t worry about scoring pro-am day. Par 70 with three to play, we never saw it coming, lipping out a 15-foot eagle putt on the last hole for 57 finishing with 58. We started with two bogies the next day during the tournament but finished second on Sunday.

“Sunshine” was hitting balls later that afternoon alone with his caddie. A handful watched and a few stopped with a handshake but he went about his business. Paul probably cracked sarcastically, “Can’t let a 59 get in the way of my job.”