Former Fort Collins resident Sam Saunders became just the seventh player in the history of the Web.com Tour to shoot under 60 as he carded a 59 Thursday at the Web.com Tour Championship in Atlantic Beach, Fla., his new hometown.
Saunders, grandson of the late Arnold Palmer, faces a crucial week as he’s trying to finish in the top 25 on the money list for the four-event Web.com Tour Finals, thereby regaining fully-exempt status on the PGA Tour. The Web.com Tour Championship is the last tournament of the Finals, and Saunders entered the week in the No. 24 spot.
Saunders made 13 birdies in his 12-under-par round at Atlantic Beach Country Club, where he’s a member. He birdied his final six holes to shoot 28 on the front nine as he started on No. 10. To break 60, he drained a 10-foot putt on No. 9.
“This is a golf course you can shoot low scores on,” said Saunders, who led by three after round 1. “… I knew guys would shoot low but I didn’t think anyone would shoot 59 — certainly not myself.”
Saunders’ 59 came just a few days after the one-year anniversary of Palmer’s passing.
Saunders lived in Fort Collins from late 2012 to 2016.
(Sept. 30 Update: Saunders followed up his 59 with rounds of 66-70 and sits in second place, trailing leader Jonathan Byrd by two strokes going into Sunday.)
