Denny McCarthy within inches from record 59 at Travelers Championship

CROMWELL, Conn. — Denny McCarthy looks on from the first hole during the second round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands on June 23, 2023. | Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images

Denny McCarthy, the 30-year-old from Maryland, has put himself in position to win his first PGA Tour event this weekend in Connecticut.

TPC River Highlands, host of this week’s Travelers Championship on the PGA Tour, is no stranger to record-breaking low scores.

Jim Furyk carded a PGA Tour record 58 at this Connecticut course in 2016. Furyk also shot 59 at the 2013 BMW Championship, as he is the only player to shoot two sub-60 rounds in PGA Tour history.

Overall, there have been 12 sub-60 rounds on the PGA Tour.

Denny McCarthy was inches from making it 13 on Thursday at the Travelers.

Having started on the back nine, the 9th hole served as McCarthy’s final hole on Thursday. When he hit his second shot from 169 yards out, he stood at 9-under par on this par-70 course.

He pushed his 7-iron a tad to the right but got a terrific bounce off the side of the hill as his shot then caromed towards the hole.

“I was trying to cut in there and just leaked it a little, saw it kick, and couldn’t see the rest,” McCarthy said after his round. “We were just going off the crowd’s reaction at that point. Obviously, it came pretty close to going in. In the air, I wasn’t expecting it to be anywhere close to going in, but obviously it was exciting that it had a chance.”

His second shot settled four feet away. He made birdie to card a 10-under 60 in his opening round, thus giving him the lead after round one.

McCarthy’s 60 marks the lowest round of his career and the lowest score on the tour this season.

Not bad for a guy who has never won on the PGA Tour.