Goydos shot a 59 during the opening frame of the event, which is held in Silvis, Illinois. He is only the fourth player in the history of the PGA Tour to have put up that mark, which put him at 12 under par for the day. Through his first round, Goydos managed to net 12 birdies.
Goydos' was the first 59 shot on the tour since David Duval did so during the 1999 Bob Hope Classic. Al Geiberger was the first to do it in 1977, and was followed by Chip Beck in 1991.
"Today was a nuclear bomb," Goydos told the Associated Press. "I don't know where it came from. If I knew that, I wouldn't be able to touch it."
A number of golfers who are playing in the John Deere Classic are facing the prospect of their performance affecting whether they can take part in this year's PGA Open. Play continues through Sunday, July 11.
