Justin Rose shoots 61 to tie TPC Southwind's course record

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Justin Rose was in last place after the opening round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship. On Saturday, he matched TPC Southwind’s course record.

Golf can be a funny game.

Rose shot a bogey-free 61 on the par-70 layout, entertaining thoughts of a sub-60 round before becoming the fourth man to shoot 61 here. It was 15 strokes lower than his opening round of the week; he shot 67 on Saturday and will likely begin the FedEx St. Jude’s final round in the upper half of the field.

“It's amazing isn't it,” said Rose, who began the week at No. 33 in the FedExCup. “Very little changed but a lot changed.”

Rose said he had trouble with the speed of the greens Thursday. His Strokes Gained: Putting for the round was -3.1. He missed five putts from 4-8 feet and took 33 putts, including a four-putt and two three-putts.

“I've probably never had a round like that where I felt like I had hit it pretty good,” he said.

He has gained more than approximately seven strokes on the greens in the two rounds since, including more than four in Saturday’s round. He didn’t miss a putt inside 20 feet Saturday, including three putts from 10-20 feet.

TPC Southwind is known for having the most balls hit in the water since ShotLink stats debuted 20 years ago, but Rose avoided any trouble Saturday. He shot 6-under 29 on his front nine, nine strokes lower than his front-nine score Thursday.

He notched three more birdies on the back to post 61, just one off from his career-best of 60 that he shot at last year’s RBC Canadian Open. He made bogey on the last hole that day in Canada to miss out on a 59.

Rose said that a sub-60 round was his “primary objective” as he got to the final holes Saturday. He was 8 under par after 14 holes, with the short par-4 15th and par-5 16th awaiting him.

“I knew that 59 was obviously on the cards,” he said, “but in the end, happy to end up with two pars.”

Rose’s 61 ties the TPC Southwind record held by Tom Lewis (third round, 2020), Bob Estes (first round, 2001), and Jay Delsing (fourth round, 1993). Lewis and Rose are the only ones to shoot 61 after the course’s most recent renovation in early 2020.

The 61 was Rose’s career low round in the Playoffs by two shots and will help the 2018 FedExCup champion’s pursuit of his first TOUR Championship appearance since 2019.

“Normally top 30 is the big cutoff. There's a lot of rewards to top 30,” said Rose, whose win at this year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am was his first in four years. “That's really where you want to be. That's still where you want to be. Obviously that gives you the opportunity to go win the FedExCup, which is what it's all about.”

A record round has Rose’s return to East Lake within reach.