When it comes to PGA Tour-sanctioned tournaments, no round has been lower than the one Cristobal del Solar put together on Thursday.
Del Solar, a 30-year-old from Vina del Mar, Chile, fired a 13-under 57 in the first round of the Korn Ferry Tour’s Astara Golf Championship in Bogota, Colombia. The round, which was recorded with preferred lies in effect on a soggy Country Club de Bogota, marked the lowest round in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event and tied the lowest professional tournament round ever.
“I’m just so happy,” del Solar told GolfChannel.com over the phone just minutes after his round. “When you go out there, you don’t really think I’m going to shoot 57 today. ... Yeah, man, it was a good round.”
Understatement of the year.
Ireland’s David Carey shot 11-under 57 on the Alps Tour in 2019, though that course played to a par of 68.
Stephan Jaeger held the previous KFT record of 12-under 58, recorded at the 2016 Ellie Mae Classic. Five other 58s have been recorded on world-ranked tours – Jim Furyk (PGA Tour), Alex del Rey (Challenge), Ryo Ishikawa (Japan), S.H. Kim (Japan) and Jason Bohn (Canadian). Bryson DeChambeau had a 58 of his own last year at LIV Greenbrier.
Another Chilean, Joaquin Niemann, posted a 59 last week at LIV Mayakoba.
When you didn't even know you were about to shoot a 57 😅 pic.twitter.com/8OQTjK3FQr
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) February 8, 2024
The Pacos Course at Country Club de Bogota played at 6,254 yards on Thursday. Bogota also sits around 8,600 feet above sea level. So, as one can imagine, del Solar’s short game was busy.
Del Solar’s record round featured a front-nine, 8-under 27, which tied the KFT nine-hole scoring record. He carded nine birdies, two eagles and zero bogeys or worse.
Here’s a closer look at his round:
• No. 1, Par 4, 383 yards – Birdie, hit drive to 20 yards, chipped to a foot
• No. 3, Par 4, 348 yards – Birdie, drove it greenside, about a pace off the left of the green, then lipped out chip
• No. 5, Par 4, 298 yards – Birdie, hit iron off tee and greenside, chipped to 4 feet
• No. 6, Par 4, 392 yards – Birdie, drove it about 30 yards short of green, chipped to 2 feet
• No. 7, Par 5, 516 yards – Birdie, hit driver and then 9-iron to 20 feet, two putts
• No. 8, Par 4, 364 yards – Birdie, drove it greenside off right of green, chipped to 8 feet
• No. 9, Par 4, 330 yards – Eagle, drove green from about 295 yards (adjusted) to 15 feet; “Shot of the day for me,” del Solar said.
“It was a great front nine,” he added. “I was obviously very excited, but I was trying to keep focused and not think of the score.”
• No. 10, par 4, 384 yards – Birdie, drove it greenside, chipped to 5 feet
• No. 12, Par 5, 550 yards – Eagle, hit driver and then 6-iron to 15 feet
• No. 14, Par 4, 411 yards – Birdie, drove it 80 yards short of green, wedged to 20 feet
• No. 15, Par 4, 360 yards – Birdie, drove it greenside, chipped to 5 feet
“After I hit my drive on 18, we were walking and I asked my caddie, ‘What are we at?’” del Solar said. “He looked at me and said, ‘I don’t know, look at the scorecard.’ I don’t know, man. I knew I was gonna break 60, but I didn’t know exactly.”
Del Solar had about 6 feet for birdie – and 56 – on the par-4 18th hole, but his putt burned the left edge.
When you casually two-putt for a 57. 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/rNzbcpp6gK
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) February 8, 2024
“I’ve never even broken 60 before,” del Solar said. “The course I play back home (Dye’s Preserve in Jupiter, Florida), it’s really hard, so when I play really good there, it’s 7 or 8 under, never near the 60 mark. ...
“Yes, the course is short, we are playing at altitude, but you still gotta be able to do it. You still gotta go out there and make birdies.”
Kris Ventura and Trevor Cone, del Solar’s playing competitors, shot 62 and 63, respectively. For those counting, that’s a combined 28 under by del Solar’s threesome.
BOGOTA, COLOMBIA - FEBRUARY 08: The official scorecard of Cristobal Del Solar who scored a 57 is displayed after the first round of the Astara Golf Championship presented by Mastercard at Country Club de Bogota on February 08, 2024 in Bogota, Colombia. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
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Del Solar, who often practices with Niemann and shares a swing coach with the LIV star (Edo Miquel), has played mostly on PGA Tour Latinoamerica since turning pro in 2017 out of Florida State. He won four times on that circuit, including twice in 2022. He was a KFT rookie last season and entered this week No. 14 in points, boosted mainly by a solo fourth at the Bahamas Great Exuma Classic last month.
Now, after this record round, del Solar turns his sights toward a potential first KFT title.
He won’t, however, play the Pacos course again this week, with the par-71, 7,237-yard Lagos course, the sole layout for the final 36 holes, on tap for his second round.
“I’m just trying to do my routine, man,” del Solar said. “I know I just shot 57, an unbelievable round, but it’s the first day of the tournament. So, I’ll just try to move on, go to the gym and do what I do one a weekly basis.”