By Adam Woodard – First published in Golfweek
It’s been said that seeing good golf shots breeds good golf shots. If that’s the case, Alexander Hughes must’ve been watching Scottie Scheffler shoot a 59 last Friday at the Northern Trust.
Hughes, a former player at Central Oklahoma, tied the Guinness Book of World Records’ lowest score in a single round of golf with a 55 on Thursday at South Lakes Golf Course in Jenks, Oklahoma.
After making par on the first hole, Hughes made a hole-in-one on the 155-yard par-3 second, followed by another par. Then he got hot, birdieing Nos. 4-8 with an eagle on No. 9 to make the turn at 9-under 26. His birdie streak ended on No. 10 with a par on 11, but the four-year letter winner at Central got to 10 under with a birdie on No. 12.
Hughes appeared to finally cool down with two more pars on Nos. 13 and 14 before making eagle on No. 15 and ending his round on a three-hole birdie streak to finish his back nine at 7 under 29, bringing his total to 16-under 55.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the only other 55 also occurred in Oklahoma at River Oaks Golf Club in Edmond back in 2012. Australia’s Rhein Gibson made two eagles, 12 birdies and four pars.
Golfweek’s Gabe Gudgel’s brother, Grant, just happened to be grouped with Hughes and caught this clip on the 18th where Hughes’ chip came just inches from falling for a world-record 54.
He had a chip on the last hole for the world record, 54 (-17) and barely missed it.
After the round Grant’s dad asked how he did.
“Well, I shot 2 under, didn’t do too bad but I got beat by 14.”
