The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

The Greenbrier Classic

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  • J.B. Holmes tees off on the 18th hole of the Old White Course during the third round of The Greenbrier Classic Saturday at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs. Holmes is tied for fourth place, six shots behind leader Jeff Overton, entering today’s final round. Rick Barbero

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August 1, 2010

Holmes’ 60 was elementary

Golfer is in four-way tie for fourth place entering final round

By Dave Morrison Sports Editor

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS — J.B. Holmes stood on the terrace overlooking the No. 18 green — well, it used to, now it’s the back of the bleachers there — and contemplated the fact that he just finished with a 60, the low round of The Greenbrier Classic here Saturday.

He took it almost like just another day at the office.

Why not?

A 60 these days on the PGA TOUR is becoming passé, commonplace among the men who are among the best in the world at their craft.

As the scores were rolling in — how low would they go? — it really was no big deal that Holmes had just tied Slammin’ Sammy Snead’s course record of 60 (31-29) set Oct. 18, 1950.

At least not to Holmes.

It’s the way of the world — literally — that these golfers, with high-tech equipment and a scorer’s course, are making par seem like a bad thing.

“It’s not like shooting a 60 at Augusta,” Holmes said. “I’ve seen people all over the world shoot 60. There’s been a lot of great play lately so you’ve seen some big numbers.

“If I had shot 60 maybe this time last year, it would probably get a little more attention than it’s probably going to get. But there have been a lot of great scores lately.”

Indeed.

Thing is, Holmes’ score could have been better.

How?

Elementary, my dear (Tom) Watson.

Despite his how-low-can-you go birdie fest, he did have a bogey on No. 3.

And he just missed — I mean just missed — an eagle on No. 17.

His reaction on the green said it all. The ball rimmed the cup and stopped right behind the hole. If the gallery had jumped up and down, it might have gone down.

Holmes turned around and put his hands on his head, in disbelief.

“I mean, two days in a row I’ve hit perfect putts on that hole and they’ve just not gone in,” Holmes said.

Just run the scoring gamut here for a second: If the bogey is a par and the birdie is an eagle, well, Holmes would have bested Snead’s course record. He wasn’t exactly using Snead’s equipment, but you get the idea.

Holmes is an interesting story himself.

And not just because he made the cut on the number and at one point Friday figured he would go ahead and pack his bags because he wasn’t going to make the cut.

No. See, Holmes was a golf prodigy.

He started playing high school golf when he was in the third grade in his native Kentucky.

By fifth grade he was the No. 1 or 2 player on his Taylor County High School team.

Ho-hum. He’s heard that question before.

“It meant I was playing against older guys,” Holmes said. “So you weren’t really intimidated by playing with seniors. There was that. But it wasn’t (really a big deal).

“Back then, me and my friends used to play 72 holes. We’d play 36 holes, go swimming and then come back and play 36 more holes.”

Holmes said he never shot a 60 in a tournament, but he did card the number at an event at Kenny Perry’s course in Franklin, Ky.

Back when it meant something and didn’t get met with a blasé attitude on the tour.

— E-mail: demorrison@register-herald.com

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The Greenbrier Classic