Has Justin Rose Won the Masters? A Look at Augusta’s Scoring Records

AUGUSTA, Ga. – The question of whether a golfer could ever shoot a 59 at the Masters Tournament has lingered for years. Brooks Koepka famously scoffed at the idea a couple of years ago, asking, “Have you played here?” The difficulty of Augusta National makes such a score seem almost mythical.

Currently, only two players have carded a round of 63 at the Masters: Nick Price in 1986 and Greg Norman in 1996. Norman’s 63 remains the lowest single-round score in any major championship, a record that stood despite his infamous final-round collapse that same year.

Justin Rose and the Pursuit of a Low Score

Justin Rose, a consistent contender at Augusta, has twice shot 65, including a strong opening round in the previous year. He even found himself in a playoff with Rory McIlroy after a 66 in the final round. However, Rose acknowledges the course’s challenges, having also experienced a round of 81 at Augusta National.

“There’s so many great players capable of putting up that number,” Rose reflected. “I think that the course lends itself most ideally to that score on a Sunday, but also if conditions allow. Sunday is kind of when the course is getting its most sort of maxed out, in terms of green speeds and firmness.”

The Evolving Course and Modern Scoring

Despite the difficulty, there’s growing belief that the record could eventually be broken. Scores across all majors are trending downwards. Branden Grace fired a 62 at the 2017 British Open, a score later matched by four players in the U.S. Open and PGA Championship, including Shane Lowry and Xander Schauffele in 2024.

Technological advancements in equipment and player physiology are also playing a role. Augusta National has responded by continually modifying the course, increasing its length from 6,925 yards when Norman shot his 63 to 7,565 yards today.

“I think that’s a big thing, a lot of mid-irons into small targets. Wedges into small targets,” Rose explained. “If you’re on and it’s your day, sure, you can make a lot of birdies. But you’re also going to make a bogey or two quite easily.”

Birdies, Eagles, and the Grind at Augusta

Anthony Kim holds the record for most birdies in a single round at the Masters with 11 in 2009, but even that wasn’t enough for a truly record-breaking score. An eagle or two would likely be necessary. While consecutive eagles have been achieved by players like Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson, it remains a rare feat.

Brian Harman, the 2023 British Open champion, emphasizes the challenging nature of Augusta. “The scores are always a little higher than you think they’re going to be,” he said. “It’s a lot more of a grind than people think.”

Amen Corner and the Back Nine Challenge

The second nine at Augusta National, particularly Amen Corner, tends to play more difficult than the front nine. While seven players have started the round with a 30, only two have finished the back nine in 29: Mark Calcavecchia in 1991 and David Toms in 1998.

So, to answer the initial question – could someone shoot a 59? It would require a perfect combination of a record-breaking front nine and an equally exceptional back nine. As Koepka quipped, “If I want to go play the member tees and maybe play like, 15 holes… yeah, I could do that.”

Source: NBC Sports