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Jim Furyk’s PGA-record round of 58 in the Travelers Championship on Sunday joins a long list of high marks by Arizona Wildcats athletes in various sports.
Arizona Wildcats golfing legend Jim Furyk carded a 58 at the Travelers Championship on Sunday to set the PGA tour single-round record.
Furyk’s name was already atop the record book with a round of 59 at the 2013 BMW Championship, tying five other golfers at that mark.
“No one else can say they’ve done that out here on the PGA Tour,” Furyk said of his 58 in a press conference. “It’s really special, and it’s probably going to take a little while for it to sink in.”
Furyk, 46, winner of the 2003 U.S. Open, had 10 birdies and one eagle in the final round at TPC River Highlands on Sunday. His previous record of 59 was shared by Al Geiberger at the 1977 Memphis Classic; Chip Beck at the 1991 Las Vegas Invitational; David Duval at the 1999 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic; Paul Goydos at the 2010 John Deere Classic; and Stuart Appleby at the 2010 Greenbrier Classic.
Furyrk eagled the par-4 third by holing out a 136-yard pitching wedge. His only pars were at 1, 5, 13, 14, 15, 17 and 18. He birdied the other holes.
After he made a 2-foot putt for par and his 58th stroke on the last hole, he hugged caddie Mike “Fluff” Cowan and walked up the hill toward the scoring trailer, accompanied by chants of “58, 58.”
Travelers Executive chairman of the board Jay Fishman congratulated Furyk after he signed his scorecard. Fishman said Travelers will donate $58,000 to the charity of Furyk’s choice. Furyk first said the Jim & Tabitha Furyk Foundation, which helps children and families in need with food and other necessities. He then said he wanted it to go to the Bruce Edwards Foundation for research for ALS. Fishman has ALS.
Fishman later said $29,000 will go to the Jim & Tabitha Furyk Foundation and $29,000 to the Bruce Edwards Foundation.
Furyk’s record round at the Travelers Championships brings to mind other former Arizona Wildcats who hold a record in their respective professional sport:
LPGA
Annika Sorenstam
— Player of the Year awards: 8
— Lowest season scoring average: 68.6969 in 2004
Lorena Ochoa
— Lowest score major tournament: 62, in 2006 her first round score of 62 in the Kraft Nabisco Championship tied the record for lowest score ever by a golfer, male or female.
— In 2007, first woman to earn more than $4 million in single season, surpassing Sorenstam’s previous record of $2.86 million.
NFL
Rob Gronkowski
— Most receiving yards, season, tight end: 1,327, 2011
— Most touchdowns for a tight end, season; 17, 2011
Nick Foles
— Highest completion percentage, game (with 7 TD passes): 78.57, on Nov. 3, 2013
— Most passing touchdowns, game: 7, Sid Luckman on 11-14-1943, Adrian Burk on 10-17-1954, George Blanda on 11-19-1961, Y.A. Tittle on 10-28-1962, Joe Kapp on 9-28-1969, Peyton Manning on 9-5-2013, Nick Foles on 11-3-2013 and Drew Brees on 11-1-2015.
— Most passing touchdowns, no interceptions, game: 7, Y.A. Tittle on 10-28-1962, Peyton Manning on 9-5-2013 and Nick Foles on 11-3-2013
— Most games 7-plus TD passes, career: 1; Sid Luckman,1943; Adrian Burk, 1954; George Blanda, 1961; Y.A. Tittle, 1962; Joe Kapp, 1969; Peyton Manning, 2013; Nick Foles, 2013; Drew Brees, 2015
— Most passing touchdowns, perfect passer rating (158.3), game: 7 Nick Foles on 11-3-2013
— Best touchdown pass–interception ratio, season: 13.5:1 (27 TDs, 2 INTs), Nick Foles, 2013 (minimum 12 TD passes)
— Best passing yards–interception ratio, season: 1,445.5:1 (2,891 yards, 2 INTs), Nick Foles, 2013 (minimum 2,000 passing yards)
Nick Folk
— Highest percentage kicking made career (minimum 200 attempts): 100.0, (311/311) 2007–2015; Dan Bailey, (204/204) 2011–2015
MLB
Kenny Lofton
— Most stolen bases, rookie in American League: 66 in 1992.
— Most consecutive games scoring a run: 18 in 2000
— Most postseason career stolen bases: 34, set in Game Four of the 2007 ALCS
Trevor Hoffman
— 40-save seasons in career: 9 (including two streaks of four consecutive)
— Most saves for one team in National League: 552 with San Diego
— Most career pitching games for one team in National League: 902 with San Diego
— Most NL saves in one season: 53 in 1998, tying record set by Cubs’ Randy Myers in 1993.
— First person to log 500 saves, against Los Angeles on June 6, 2007, in a 5-2 win
— Most career saves in National League: 601
— Most career strikeouts per nine innings by a reliever: 9.36
NBA
Steve Kerr
— Highest career three-point field goal percentage: 45.4 percent
Gilbert Arenas
— Most points scored in overtime period: 16, with Washington Wizards against Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 17, 2006
ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon.
