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Furyk's 59 makes history at BMW Championship

Where do you start with this one?

Seriously, where do you start talking about the wild and wacky second round of the BMW Championship at Conway Farms?

Do you start with Rickie Fowler's unbelievable start, his racing out to a 6-under score through nine holes, highlighted by an eagle 2 on No. 9, before fading a bit down the stretch?

Or how about first-round leader Brandt Snedeker continuing his strong play with a 68 on a cool, breezy day in Lake Forest, good for a share of the lead at 11-under-par at the halfway point?

What about the 2-stroke penalty leveled against Tiger Woods for not penalizing himself a stroke when his ball moved ... on the very first hole?

No, no and no.

The only story on a day full of great storylines was Jim Furyk and that magic number.

That magic number of 59. A number only five players in the history of the PGA Tour had ever reached.

Until Friday afternoon that is, when Furyk calmly sank a 3-foot putt on No. 9, his final hole of the day, expanding membership in the 59 Club to an even half-dozen.

But even a half an hour after his on-course magic, the ever low-key Furyk admittedly was having trouble grasping what he had just accomplished.

He wasn't alone.

“I saw on the Jumbotron on 18 that he needed a birdie on the last hole to shoot 59 and I thought, 'what the heck, are you serious? There's no way,'” said Snedeker, who will probably be the least talked about co-leader of a tournament in a long time. “It's a par-71 course, so that's even more impressive.

“And on a day when the wind is blowing 20 miles out of the north? I don't think anybody out here saw that score coming.”

Furyk's longtime caddie Fluff Cowan certainly didn't.

“All I can say is it was a very special round of golf, very special,” Cowan said. “I mean ... it's the lowest one I've ever caddied for.

“Incredible.”

Indeed.

And making it all the more incredible is that the highest high of Furyk's career came just about a week after one of his lowest lows, failing to make the Presidents Cup roster after being a member of the last seven teams.

“The last couple of days have been a little awkward for me because I have had to talk a little bit to the media about it, and that I expected, but I also spoke to some of my friends about it,” Furyk said of a breakfast he had with Zach Johnson and Steve Stricker. “I hope they continue to play well for the U.S. side, but it was definitely a bummer, and I kind of had to go through those emotions again a little bit. So on (Thursday) I was a little grouchy to be honest with you.

“But I felt like last night I kind of kicked myself in the rear end and said, you know, it's done with. It's over with. I know the emotions came back up, but there's nothing I can do to change it now. It's over, and let's just focus on this week.”

And did he ever.

A day after an opening round 72, Furyk began his round on the 10th hole with 6 birdies, an eagle and a par for a sizzling 28, tying the BMW record for 9 holes.

“I've never shot 28 to start with, so it was an exciting day,” he said. “It dawned on me at the turn that it would only take a 4-under on the front to break the barrier of 60.”

That proved to be no problem for Furyk, who countered his lone bogey of the day on the par 4 fifth with 5 more birdies on his final nine to reach the coveted 59.

“That's a very cool card,” Furyk said gazing down at the piece of history in his hand. “It's too bad it goes with a 72.”

Forget the 72, Jim. On this day the only numbers that matter are 59 and 6, as in six members of the 59 Club.

“It's cool; I like being one of the six,” Furyk said with a smile. “I don't need seven. Six is fine with me.”

Images: Friday at the BMW Championship

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Woods adamant that latest penalty undeserved

The comforts of home Streelman recovers nicely to sit in fourth place

Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.comJim Furyk tips his hat after shooting 59 during the second-round of the BMW Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest Friday.
Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.comJim Furyk gestures to the crowd after shooting 59 during the second-round of the BMW Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest Friday.
Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.comJim Furyk pats his caddy, Mike "Fluff" Cowan, on the head after shooting 59 during the second-round of the BMW Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest Friday.
Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.comJim Furyk watches his chip shot to the 8th green during the second-round of the BMW Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest Friday. Furyk shot the elusive 59.
Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.comJim Furyk hwatches his tee shot on the 8th hole during the second-round of the BMW Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest Friday. Furyk shot the elusive 59.
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