An update on Mr55, Rhein Gibson

Aussie golfer shoots 55, and here is how it all happened.

Nobody really knew what was in Rhein’s head, but I was as nervous as if it was my own round. He had a fantastic error-free round going. I just hated the idea of his only bogey coming on the last hole. Eric saw Rhein’s swing and the ball taking flight. He said later the swing was perfect. The ball landed on the green behind the hole and stopped dead at about eight feet. Rhein had a putt for 55! Par was locked up. This would be a bogey free round of historic proportion. 

The buzzing from the crowd around the green resembled crackling electric lines. Other golfers, club staff, and even a group of ten year-olds, brought by the teaching pro to watch, were all eager to see a course record for the ages being set. Eric and I were doing everything we could do to avoid being a distraction but the emotion in the air was palpable. Rhein knew it. We knew it. We were part of something special. 

Time stood still. The ball left the putter on an aggressive roll – especially considering the fact that this putt was downhill and turning hard to the left. When it dropped out of sight, it had rolled over the exact center of the hole! Everybody went nuts! Oh by the way, I had just shot 69 and lost by 14 strokes.