#59Watch at the Dunhill Links

<strong>By Will Pearson, europeantour.com<br />
at St Andrews</strong>

Golf’s Holy Grail – The Famous 59 – has long proved elusive on The European Tour, but could all that be set to change this week at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship?

There have been countless feats of golfing greatness in the 42-year history of The European Tour, since founding father John Jacobs first assembled a unified continental tournament scene in the early 1970s, but a score of 59 continues to evade capture – despite innumerable close calls.

Now, with the eyes of the sport turning this week to the Home of Golf, as St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie prepare to host the celebration of links golf which is the Dunhill Links Championship, the question has once again been raised.

And not without reason.

Of the 18 times that 60 has been shot on The European Tour, two of those have come during the Dunhill Links – and in the last two years no less.

Branden Grace, en route to his fourth title of a prolific season in 2012, shot a 12 under par round of 60 at Kingsbarns on the opening day of the event two years ago, finishing with five straight birdies to just miss out on that special number.

"It could have been a 59, and I said to my caddie when I hit it stiff on 18 that it could be close to a 59," the South African said afterwards. "I had some opportunities, but you know, I never really made anything long. But that round has to be my best ever."

Last year, meanwhile, American Peter Uihlein came agonisingly close to the first ever 59 during the second round, narrowly missing a long eagle putt on the par five ninth at Kingsbarns, his final hole, for a course record-equalling round of 60.

“When I made that birdie on the 17th to go 11 under that was the first time 59 crossed my mind,” said Uihlein, who eventually lost out in a play-off last year to England’s David Howell.

“I was in the zone out there and it was cool. I am definitely not as calm underneath (as it looked) but I just tried to stay with my routines and keep the same swing thought.”

England’s Chris Paisley, meanwhile shot a ten under par 62 on Kingsbarns’ new-style links last year, while compatriot Lee Westwood signed for the same total 11 years ago.<br /><br />But it is not just Kingsbarns that offers up a veritable feast of birdies and eagles given the right conditions.

Twelve months ago, England’s Paul Casey excelled at St Andrews, posting a course record-equalling 62 in the third round and with it matched the Old Course totals of South African George Coetzee and Frenchman Victor Dubuisson in 2012, Graeme McDowell in 2004, and Brian Davis in 2003.

Additionally, of the 26 times that 63 has been shot in a Major Championship, two of those came on the Old Course courtesy of Rory McIlroy in 2010 and Paul Broadhurst in 1990.

Even the Dunhill Links’ third course, Carnoustie, is not exempt from the odd low score despite being widely regarded as one of the most testing layouts on the Open Championship rotation.

In 2013, Ireland’s Shane Lowry fired a sublime 64 in the third round at the Angus venue to tie the course record jointly held by Richard Green, Colin Montgomerie, Steve Stricker and Alan Tait on his way to a tied third place.

On the global stage, a score of 59 has been posted during official tournaments on major tours a total of 15 times, with six of those coming since 2010 including one from American Jim Furyk during the US PGA Tour’s BMW Championship in 2013.

Undoubtedly, the weather plays a massive role in determining the likelihood of a first 59 on The European Tour, with huge variations in conditions and courses sometimes proving problematic in a scoring sense on our Tour.

A links course’s main defence is the wind and, as has been seen numerous times over the years in both Dunhill Links tournaments and indeed Open Championships, some of the world’s most famous layouts are susceptible to a metaphorical mauling in benign conditions.

With a lacking wind lessening the creative requirements needed to tame a normally perilous trio of courses, links golf becomes target golf and that can often equal low numbers.

So, as we continue our search for that sought-after first 59, what does Mother Nature have in store for us this week at St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie?

“This week we will have temperatures between 13 and 17 degrees, a little rain here or there,” says European Tour meteorologist Mike McClellan.

“As low pressure swirls to our north, strong winds will be our primary concern during the tournament days with some winds gusting up to 35 miles per hour potentially.”

Ah, well, the #59Watch might have to wait.

Perhaps next year…?