Matt Wallace birdies every hole on back 9, ties European record

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — English golfer Matt Wallace made history by sinking a 30-foot birdie putt and proceeded to birdie the next nine holes, tying a European tour record with a sensational 12-under 60 round. This extraordinary performance propelled him into the lead during the season-ending DP World Tour Championship on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates over the weekend.

Wallace’s incredible streak culminated in a 16-under 200 total, giving him a 1-shot lead over Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland, both of whom shot a 66.

Reflecting on his remarkable achievement, Wallace described it as “fun” and expressed his delight at securing the 54-hole lead, leaving his competitors unable to catch up. Fleetwood and Hovland had a strong showing, but Wallace’s remarkable performance stole the spotlight.

Despite a slow start, Fleetwood’s fortunes improved with five birdies in seven holes, including a 60-foot eagle putt. However, a bogey on the 17th hole cost him the lead he shared with Wallace.

Similarly, Hovland’s bogey-free round kept him in contention for the season-ending titles, though he missed opportunities to birdie the par 5s on the back nine.

Former Masters champion Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy also put up respectable scores during the tournament, with Rahm hitting a fairway metal shot from the trees to set up a birdie on the 18th hole, keeping him in the mix.

Confronted with the difficulty of the rain-softened greens, Hovland laughed off Wallace’s outstanding performance, calling it “ridiculous.” He pointed out the challenge posed by the grains on the greens, making it tricky to hole putts.

Wallace’s spectacular feat surpassed the European tour record of nine consecutive birdies, equaling the mark of 12 birdies in a round. His consistent performance, marked by a series of impressive birdie putts, nearly resulted in only the second 59 in European tour history.

Confessing that he did not even realize he had a shot at a 59, Wallace credited his focused approach down the stretch for his exceptional performance, emphasizing his determination to keep getting one more birdie, ultimately securing a spot in golf history.

The championship took a turn for Nicolai Hojgaard, who led comfortably through much of the round before succumbing to errors on the final holes, ultimately trailing Wallace by 3 shots.

His twin brother, Rasmus Hojgaard, also had a strong round and was in contention for one of the 10 spots on the PGA Tour next year.