by Jeff Skinner
What a way to pull out of a slump! Stuart Appleby hasn’t had the best of seasons. In 23 events leading up to The Greenbrier Classic Appleby had missed eleven cuts and had only two top tens. His best week came in April when he placed sixth in The Zurich Classic of New Orleans. It was a spell of poor play that had lasted two seasons. Appleby has broken out of his slump in the grandest of ways.
Appleby shot a record 59 to claim his first title since he won twice in 2006. Starting seven strokes back of Jeff Overton, Appleby started exceptionally strong with six birdies in a front nine score of 28. He continued to hunt Overton down with an eagle on the twelfth hole. Overton shot his worst round of the tournament with a final round three under, 67 and seemed to lose his cool when his putts burned the edge and failed to fall on a number of holes.
Appleby kept the heat on Overton with three closing birdies and looked as cool as anyone on the course while he was putting his name in the record books. David Duval was the only other player to shoot a 59 during the final round to win the tournament at the Bob Hope Classic. Appleby’s 59 makes him the fifth player to shoot 59 in a PGA Tour event.
More than just a line in the golf record books this win gives Appleby new life on the tour. This win puts him back in the collection of select golfers that have won on the PGA Tour this year. It’s a place that Appleby had been before and certainly wants to stay there. With this win Appleby also gets a new name, “Mr. 59.” He’s happy to carry that new moniker whenever he plays from now on.
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