Did Sebastián Muñoz deliver one of golf’s most extraordinary rounds?
Last week, the 32-year-old Colombian, competing in the LIV Golf League with Torque GC, achieved something truly remarkable. At Chatham Hills in Indiana, he kicked off the LIV Golf Indianapolis event with an astonishing 12-under-par 59, becoming only the third player in LIV history to score under 60.
This achievement placed him among elite company. His captain, Joaquin Niemann, scored 59 at Mayakoba in 2024, and Bryson DeChambeau hit a 58 at Greenbrier in 2023. However, Muñoz’s round had a unique twist: it included a double bogey. Historical records confirm it as the first sub-60 round in global golf history featuring a double.
Played on Pete Dye’s 7,143-yard par-71 course, Muñoz’s dramatic round began quietly. Starting on the second hole in a shotgun format, he went par–par–birdie–double. At one over par through four holes, it seemed like an average day in elite golf. But everything changed by the 6th hole.
Electrifying Moments
A chip-in birdie ignited one of the most electrifying sequences ever. Muñoz made eight consecutive birdies, paused briefly with a par on the 14th, then continued his birdie blitz by sinking five more consecutively to finish. This amounted to 13 birdies in his final 14 holes—a total of 14—a stunning feat.
His putting was as impressive as his iron play. During his streak, he sank three putts from 14–17 feet, followed by three more from 15–21 feet between the 16th and 18th. For context, the PGA Tour and DP World Tour records for consecutive birdies are nine, while the most birdies in a round are 13 and 12, respectively. Muñoz matched LIV Golf’s record for 13 birdies in a single round, nearly rewriting history books.
Muñoz, who had never scored lower than 60 in his professional career, was understandably thrilled. “I’ve made eight birdies in a row, tying my personal record. But 13 out of 14, it’s insane. I’ve never come close to that. I’m really proud of how I managed the start of the day and how I worked through it,” he reflected afterward.
Statistical Highlights
The stats support his brilliance. He hit 13 of 14 fairways (92.86%), found 16 of 18 greens in regulation (88.89%), and required just 22 putts all day, averaging 1.22 per hole. Hitting so many fairways and greens is impressive, but converting with the putter elevated the round to historic status.
Reflecting on his final hole, the par-4 first, Muñoz explained: “We had 127 left (after hitting a three wood off the tee), slightly downwind. So we played a 118 shot with my 50-degree, which I like a lot. Once I hit it, I saw it going straight. I thought, ‘Ooh, that’s going to be good.’
“I couldn’t see it, but Sergio Garcia and Carlos Ortiz gave me thumbs up indicating it was close. I ended with a three-footer uphill, pretty straight. I just reminded myself to stay in the moment, keep breathing, one more time, keep it simple, and it worked.”
Muñoz, who turned professional in 2015 and has played on the Web.com Tour, DP World Tour, PGA Tour, and now LIV Golf, boasts four worldwide wins and once reached a career-high of 49 in the OWGR.
Dramatic Finish
His week in Indiana ended equally dramatically as he edged out Jon Rahm in a playoff with rounds of 61, 67, and 63, totaling 191 over 54 holes, 22-under-par. This result also secured him a fourth-place finish in the season-long LIV Individual Standings.
In golf, sub-60 rounds are revered. On the PGA Tour, they have been achieved only a few times in over 100 years. Jim Furyk’s 58 at TPC River Highlands in 2016 remains a benchmark, while legends like David Duval, Phil Mickelson, and Rory McIlroy have all flirted with 59.
For Muñoz to join this elite group is remarkable, but to do so with a double bogey makes his 59 unique in golf history.
It showcased not only his exceptional ball-striking and putting but also his resilience and ability to recover from a costly error and deliver one of the most devastating stretches of birdies ever recorded.
LIV Golf is still carving its place in the sport’s history, but Muñoz’s masterpiece at Chatham Hills has already secured its spot in golf folklore. It was not just a low round; it was a testament to why golf is so captivating: the potential for perfection, interrupted by human error, then redeemed in a manner that leaves fans in awe.
