Meet Andrew Ruthkowski. Ruthkowski is a regular bloke from Muskegon, Michigan who just so happens to have logged a very irregular round of golf this week.
A 17-under 55 to be specific.
It’s a scorecard that defies belief, but as The Detroit News reports, it’s the real deal. Ruthkowski, a local pro from western Michigan, apparently went low at Oak Ridge Country Club on Sunday evening while playing with his twin stepdaughters. He had previously set the Oak Ridge course record back in 2012 with a round of 11 under, which he matched ON THE FRONT NINE on Sunday. Oak Ridge is a course that plays slightly over 6,000 yards from the back tees.
That’s where Ruthkowski fired four eagles, three birdies (including a near ace at the par-3 second), and two pars. After the sixth hole, around 8.45 pm, Ruthkowski’s stepdaughters had to return their cart to the clubhouse, but Ruthokowski’s friend, who owns a house and his own cart along the course, told him not to stop playing and rode with him the rest of the way.
At the par-3 14th he hit it to four feet. At the short par-4 15th he nearly jarred a 30-yard chip for eagle. At the par-4 17th, he hit the flagstick with his approach. On the 18th, with OB looming left, Ruthkowski purposely hit it right onto the in-bounds driving range and hit a 205-yard 5 iron to 15 feet. He lagged it a foot short of the hole and tapped in for birdie and a 55.
Ruthkowski’s incredible round wrapped up just shy of 10 pm, playing the back nine in around an hour. It also came sandwiched between a solid Michigan Open performance and this week’s pre-qualifier for the John Deere Classic, which Ruthkowski plans to play. Needless to say, if you’re looking for a long shot to make the field at TPC Deere Run, the guy who just shot a 55 isn’t a bad bet.
“Now, it’s back to the grind for Ruthkoski,” The Detroit News wrote. “(He) was flying out on Wednesday for Thursday’s pre-qualifier for the John Deere Classic in Illinois. Next month, he’ll take his shot at qualifiers for the 3M Open in Minnesota and the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit. He still takes his shots on the Korn Ferry Tour, too, just missing out on a spot recently, falling in a playoff.”
