2016 highlights: Best rounds of 2016

After another season of sublime scoring on the Europe Challenge Tour, we look back at some of the record-breaking rounds from the 2016 Road to Oman.

Course records were either bettered or equalled at 12 of the 27 venues visited by Europe’s top developmental tour in 2016, such was the competitiveness of the most recent Challenge Tour campaign.

While all those rounds were indeed spectacular in their own right, below we have selected the five finest from last season.

Nicolo Ravano – Fred Olsen Challenge de España

Where else to start than with Ravano’s history-making score from the second round of the Fred Olsen Challenge de España. The Italian became only the second player in the history of the European, Challenge and Senior Tours to card a 59, after France’s Adrien Mörk achieved the feat in 2006.

The bar had been set extremely high at Tecina Golf by Rhys Davies, who fired an 11 under par round of 60 en route to winning the tournament the previous season.

But Ravano made light work of the picturesque course, making five birdies over the front nine to reach the turn in 31.

The 31 year old continued his stunning form over the back nine, making four consecutive birdies from holes 12 to 15. After a further gain at the 17th hole, he walked down the 18th fairway knowing he needed an eagle to make history.

It was not until he arrived on the green that the man from Genoa knew he had written his name into golfing folklore, discovering he had holed out from the fairway with his sand wedge.

Thomas Detry – Bridgestone Challenge

Also sending records tumbling with a 12 under par score this season was Detry.

Like Ravano six weeks earlier, the Belgian only took 59 shots during the first round of the Bridgestone Challenge, but after finding the water on the sixth hole he would sign for a splendid score of 60.

The 23 year old’s bogey-free round included 12 birdies – six of which were consecutive over the back nine. Despite not quite carding a sub-60 round, Detry was thrilled with his day’s work, in particular shooting a better score than childhood friend Thomas Pieters, who signed for a nine under par round of 62 in Denmark earlier in the day.

This phenomenal score set the tone for what would be a dominant display from Detry, who conquered Heythrop Park Resort to reach 29 under par after 72 holes – matching the lowest under par score in Challenge Tour history set by Ivó Giner in 2003.

The Challenge Tour rookie also broke the record for the largest winning margin ever on Europe’s top developmental tour, which was previously set at 10 shots by Ryder Cup winner Brooks Koepka in 2013, while that same afternoon Pieters – a former Challenge Tour player himself – also sealed victory at the Made in Denmark.

Ross Kellett – Fred Olsen Challenge de España

Another player who signed for a 60 on the Challenge Tour this year was Kellett.

The Scotsman took the lead after Round One in La Gomera by carding ten birdies, one eagle and one bogey, but it could have been even better for the 28 year old.

Teeing off on the 18th on 11 under par, Kellett realised he needed to birdie the inviting par four if he was to reach that ultimate golfing rarity, a 59.

After leaving his second shot on the edge of the green, he was left with an eight-foot birdie putt – which he agonisingly left short. Kellett would continue to impress throughout the tournament, though, finishing the week in joint third place after reaching 20 under par overall.

Garrick Porteous – D+D REAL Slovakia Challenge

The leaders had not even arrived for the final round of the D+D REAL Slovakia Challenge when Garrick Porteous was walking off the 18th green at Penati Golf Resort having smashed the course record.

The Englishman, out in the second match of the day, birdied five of the first six holes to reach the turn in 30, before back-to-back birdies on holes ten and 11 pushed the 26 year old further up the leaderboard.

After an eagle four on the par six 15th, the former Amateur Champion made further gains on 16 and 17 to sign for a 11 under par 61, beating his compatriot Ben Stow’s mark of 63 – set only two days earlier – by two shots.

That final day charge would move Porteous up 47 places, with the man from Colchester claiming a share of 15th place.

Ryan Fox – Tayto Northern Ireland Open in Partnership with Ulster Bank

As final round heroics go, Fox’s performance on the last day at Galgorm Castle Golf Club was pretty special.

As play began on Sunday the Kiwi was three shots behind overnight leader Dylan Frittelli, and the 29 year old wasted no time in making up the deficit as he made a birdie and an eagle on his first two holes to draw level.

Four birdies followed on the front nine as he made the turn in just 29 shots, before a rampant Fox carded four further gains over his next six holes – giving him a fighting chance of matching Ravano’s 59.

A bogey on the 16th scuppered those plans, but Fox did go on to sign for a course record-equalling round of 62 – matching Joakim Lagergren’s score from 2014.

That ten under par total secured Fox his second Challenge Tour win by four shots, and filled the New Zealander with confidence as he flew to Rio de Janeiro to represent his country at the Olympic Games.