Ishikawa fires record 58 to win in Japan

How did Ryo Ishikawa shoot a 12-under 58 to win The Crowns on the Japan Tour Sunday? Simple. He missed a 15-footer for 57.

Nevertheless, the score was a record for any major tour, eclipsing the 59s posted by Al Geiberger, Chip Beck, and David Duval on the PGA Tour, and Annika Sorenstam on the LPGA. On his own Japan Tour, Masahiro Kuramoto shot 59 in the first round of the 2003 Acom Internatinoal.

Ironically, the 18-year-old Ishikawa came from six strokes back to pass third-round leader Shigeki Maruyama, who shot his own 58 once in a U.S. Open qualifier.

"I always dreamed of getting a score like this but didn't think I would do it so fast," Ishikawa told reporters in Togo, Japan. "It hasn't really sunk in yet, but I'm sure it will after a few days."

Ishikawa's round featured 12 birdies and no bogeys on the 6,545-yard Nagoya Golf Club. It was his first win of 2010 but his seventh overall on the Japan Tour.

"I got off to a good start for the first time in four rounds, so I told myself not to give up for the title until the end," Ishikawa said. "To my surprise, I found myself making this many birdies. I was in a calm mental state for all 58 strokes."

-- Sam Weinman