Kim Si-woo charged into the lead at the PGA Tour's THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson with a sizzling 11-under round, putting himself on course for his fifth career title. He carded a 60, falling just one stroke short of a sub-60 "dream score."
Kim shot 11-under 60 with 12 birdies and one bogey in the second round of the THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson ($10.3 million purse) at TPC Craig Ranch (par 71) in McKinney, Texas, on Thursday. He appeared on track to break into the 50s, the so-called "dream score," before a bogey on the final hole settled him at 60.
At 18-under 124 through two rounds, Kim opened a five-stroke lead over Im Sung-jae.
On the PGA Tour, Jim Furyk shot 58 (12-under) at the 2016 Travelers Championship, which remains the lowest single-round score on tour. Sub-60 rounds have been recorded 15 times on the PGA Tour.
Kim played in the same group as world No. 1 and defending champion Scottie Scheffler and five-time major winner Brooks Koepka.
Kim raised his chances of a sub-60 round by collecting 11 birdies through the 15th hole.
After missing a birdie putt at the par-4 16th, Kim used his putter from the fringe at the par-3 17th to roll in a 5-meter birdie.
But he came up just short. On the par-4 18th, Kim reached the green in three and missed a par putt of just over 6 meters, taking a bogey to sign for a 60.
"After making the birdie at 17, I started thinking about a 59," Kim said after the round. "I knew 18 was a tough hole, but I went aggressive on my second shot. I think I got a little too excited."
A four-time PGA Tour winner, Kim is chasing his fifth career victory and his first since the 2023 Sony Open, a three-year drought.
Defending champion Scheffler, who shaved eight strokes off par, was tied for second at 13-under alongside Im Sung-jae, Kensei Hirata of Japan and Wyndham Clark.
Im also delighted the gallery with a round to match Kim's. After making his third career hole-in-one on the par-3 7th, Im posted a personal-best 61.
"When I'm in contention, my body naturally tenses up and I get nervous," Im said. "But I've been in this kind of contention twice already this year, so I plan to draw on that experience mentally and play my own game."
Noh Seung-yul, making his first PGA Tour start of the season, made the cut in a tie for 23rd at 9-under 133.
Bae Yong-jun was tied for 37th at 8-under, and Kim Joo-hyung was tied for 51st at 7-under at the halfway point.
