European Tour records: Lowest 18-, 36-, 54- and 72-hole scores
European Tour

European Tour records: Lowest 18-, 36-, 54- and 72-hole scores

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With his remarkable final round at the 2022 Portugal Masters, Jordan Smith reset the European Tour 72-hole scoring record, also setting the all-time European Tour mark against par, with his 30-under-par 72-hole total.

The European Tour's 72-hole scoring record is now 254 at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course in Vilamoura, Portugal, earning the win in record-setting fashion.

The prior record was 255, which Garrick Higgo shot on the par-70 host course in Spain during the 2021 Gran Canaria Lopesan Open, posting a 25-under total to win.

The prior record was set by Andy Sullivan in the 2020 English Championship, a UK Swing event at the par-71 Hanbury Manor Marriott Hotel & CC in England.

The previous record before that was 258, which was set by Ian Woosnam in winning the 1990 Torras Monte Carlo Open and David Llewellyn in winning the 1998 AGF Biarritz Open. Woosnam shot an 18-under total on a par-69 golf course, while Llewellyn shot 14-under total on a par-68 course.

The European Tour scoring record on a par-70-or-more course previously was 259, shared by Ernie Els at the 2003 Johnnie Walker Classic, Mark McNulty at the 1987 German Open and Tiger Woods in the co-sanctioned 2001 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

The Tour's scoring record in relation to par for a 72-hole event is owned now also by Smith, who posted 30-under total. he prior record was set by Ernie Els, who 29 under par on the Lake Karrinyup Country Club layout, giving him both the PGA Tour and European Tour 72-hole records against par. Richard Sterne is third best on this list, with a 27-under score at the Royal Johanesburg & Kensington GC for the 2013 Joburg Open.

The 54-hole scoring record is 189, set by Robert Karlsson, who was 18 under through the first three rounds of the 2006 Celtic Manor Wales Open. It's three better than Woods' 192 through three rounds at Firestone Country Club in 2001.

Els shares the European Tour's 54-hole record against par, at 23 under through three rounds in that same Johnnie Walker Classic. David Howell was also 23 under though three rounds in the 2006 TCL Classic.

Karlsson owns the low 36-hole scoring record from Celtic Manor, shooting 14-under 124. Against par, Ernie Els' 18-under total at Royal Melbourne in the 2004 Heineken Classic is the record.

Only one player in European Tour history has shot a sub-60 round, and that belongs to Oliver Fisher, who shot 12-under 59 in the second round of the 2018 Portugal Masters. It's the first sub-60 round since the European Tour was formed in 1972.

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Ryan Ballengee

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