ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AP) Peter Uihlein came three inches away from shooting the first ever 59 on the European Tour on Friday when his eagle putt on the last hole came up just wide at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
The American tapped in for birdie for a 12-under 60, equaling the course record at Kingsbarns but falling just short of getting his name in the record books.
"I knew I needed to make an eagle and I thought I hit a good putt," Uihlein said. "I thought it would come back to the right but it kept going left."
He was still two shots behind clubhouse leader Tom Lewis, who shot a 7-under 65 on St. Andrews for a 15-under total of 129. The players alternate between St. Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie over the first three days.
Having started on the back nine, Uihlein made eagles on the par-5 12th and third holes, and made his seventh birdie of the day on No. 7. That meant he needed to pick up two more shots to make European Tour history, but he parred the eighth and his long eagle putt on the ninth stopped inches to the left.