On the PGA Tour, players have to make lots of birdies and eagles to give themselves a chance to win. Sometimes, players can get a roll, putting a lot of circles on the card in a row to build up a great round.
In the rare instance, PGA Tour players have put together eye-popping streaks of birdies and eagles to rocket up a leaderboard.
The PGA Tour record for the longest streak of holes where a player made birdie or better is eight. It's been done three times in PGA Tour history.
Billy Mayfair was the first player to accomplish the feat, breaking the prior record of seven straight holes of birdie or better. In the final round of the 2001 Buick Open at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Michigan, Mayfair made seven birdies and an eagle in an eight-hole stretch as part of an 11-under 61 that moved him up the leaderboard into a tie for 14th place. However, he finished eight shots behind winner Kenny Perry.
Two years later, lovable loser Briny Baird also made seven birdies and an eagle in eight holes on the Palm Course at Walt Disney World Resort in the second round of the 2003 Funai Classic. Baird shot 62 that day to get into contention going into the weekend, but he finished 17th after shooting a pair of 70s on the weekend.
The most recent player to make birdie or better on eight straight holes is Ryan Palmer, who made six birdies and a pair of eagles in an eight-hole stretch during the second round of the 2015 Humana Challenge. Playing PGA West's Nicklaus Private Course, Palmer made an eagle 2 on the 12th hole, followed by three birdies, another eagle on the par-5 16th and a pair of birdies to close out a 61 that landed him in contention. However, rounds of 68 and 69 to close left him in a tie for 10th place.
In other words, while these streaks are remarkable and magical, they have yet to lead to someone winning a golf tournament and hoisting the trophy on Sunday afternoon on the PGA Tour.
