PGA Pro Cards 12 Under Par 59 In Regional Competition

Welshman Lee Harpin shot 59 at Holyhead GC with four eagles, four birdies and 10 pars

PGA Pro Cards 12 Under Par 59 In Regional Competition

A PGA professional recently shot the holy grail of golf in a regional competition with a sensational 59.

Lee Harpin, head pro at Rhos-on-Sea Golf Club in Wales, was playing in a North Wales Professional Golfers Alliance tournament at Holyhead GC where he shot the magic number.

Harpin, who turned pro in 2004 off +3, won the event by six strokes after carding four eagles, four birdies and 10 pars.

The 45-year-old's score beat the previous course record by five at the par-71 course, set by two-time Senior Major winner Roger Chapman.

Harpin, who had shot seven under the previous week, hit 16 greens and had just 25 putts around the Anglesey course.

He told Golf Monthly that there was never any danger in the round, with his longest par putt being just three feet.

The Welshman drove the par-4 1st and holed his eagle putt before three birdies in row took him to five under after just four holes.

He cooled off with five pars but on another day could have been 10 under after nine.

"I missed birdie putts within 15 feet on the 5^th, 6^th, 7^th and 8^th and missed from 6 foot for birdie on the par 5 9th," he told Golf Monthly.

However, those missed chances were quickly forgotten about as he started the back nine like a steam train, going eagle-par-eagle-par-eagle-birdie!

That got him to seven under for the opening six holes of the closing half and 12 under for the round.

"The shot of the day for me was a 4 iron for my second shot from 236 yards on the par 5 12^th to about 12 feet," he said, which he converted for his third of four eagles in the round.

"When I holed my putt on the 15^th to go 12 under, I looked up at Martin who was marking my card and he said ‘This is ridiculous, I’ve never seen this before!'"

Three pars later, including a missed six footer for birdie on the 17th, and he had signed for a 59.

"I was feeling good coming down the stretch," Harpin said.

"A little nervous but I tried to put that to the back of my mind and say I was aware that I was 12 under and going really well.

"I wasn’t aware it was a 59 until I tapped my putt in on the last hole and Martin said that’s a 59!

"Pretty much everything went right! Obviously putted ridiculously well and played really solid. Hit a lot of good shots and holed a lot of good putts."

Conditions at Holyhead were good for the day with a one-club wind, with Harpin, playing off the tips, praising the greens, saying that he couldn't have shot the number without them being so good.

His previous best round was a 7 under 65 at Belmont Golf Club in Australia in 2001 whilst representing Wales.

He has shot 11 under before off the yellow tees in a friendly game at North Wales Golf Club.

Clearly a talented man, he has also had 100+ breaks in snooker and was a trialist for Wales in football and badminton.

Harpin currently charges £35 for a 40 minute lesson - they're surely going to be in high demand now!

Maybe he should put the price up to £59?

Related: 10 of the best golf courses in Wales

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