Solar power: KFT player cards 57 to tie all-time professional tournament record

When it comes to PGA Tour-sanctioned tournaments, no round has been lower than the one Cristobal del Solar put together on Thursday.

Del Solar, a 30-year-old from Vina del Mar, Chile, fired a 13-under 57 in the first round of the Korn Ferry Tour’s Astara Golf Championship in Bogota, Colombia. The round marked the lowest round in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event and tied the lowest professional tournament round ever.

Ireland’s David Carey shot 11-under 57 on the Alps Tour in 2019, though that course played to a par of 68.

Stephan Jaeger held the previous KFT record of 12-under 58, recorded at the 2016 Ellie Mae Classic. Five other 58s have been recorded on world-ranked tours – Jim Furyk (PGA Tour), Alex del Rey (Challenge), Ryo Ishikawa (Japan), S.H. Kim (Japan) and Jason Bohn (Canadian). Bryson DeChambeau had a 58 of his own last year at LIV Greenbrier.

Another Chilean, Joaquin Niemann, posted a 59 last week at LIV Mayakoba.

Del Solar’s record round featured a front-nine, 8-under 27, which tied the KFT nine-hole scoring record. He carded nine birdies, two eagles and zero bogeys or worse.

He had about 15 feet for birdie and 56 on the par-4 18th hole, but he missed.

The Country Club de Bogota played at 6,254 yards on Thursday. Bogota also sits around 8,600 feet above sea level.

Del Solar has played mostly on PGA Tour Latinoamerica since turning pro in 2017 out of Florida State. He won four times on that circuit, including twice in 2022. He was a KFT rookie last season and entered this week No. 14 in points, boosted mainly by a solo fourth at the Bahamas Great Exuma Classic last month.