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Darren Howie, the younger brother of European Tour pro Craig Howie, has smashed the course record at Peebles Golf Club with a stunning 59.
Howie, who plays off plus four, was battling it out in the Wednesday competition, the Holiday Tankard, at Peebles Golf Club when he smashed the previous course record of 61, set by himself four years previous.
“Believe it or not I went out with the intention of trying to beat the course record,” he told bunkered.co.uk.
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“There’s been a few scores posted recently where the course has seen a 61, 63 and 64.
“I had previously shot 61 out there when I was 16 but I always thought it was achievable to beat. Somebody equalled the 61 a few weeks ago, so I had in my mind that I wanted to go out and be the only one to hold the record again.”
The 20-year-old carded nine birdies and an eagle throughout the sensational round and it was after a birdie at the 10th hole where Howie realised the possibility of a 59 was on.
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“I holed a putt on the 9th to go six-under and I was thinking there that is was definitely doable from there because I had shot 30 on the back nine the week before in a competition. I birdied 10 and by that point I was like, ‘this is on’. After that, with my partners, we were talking about what I needed to do to achieve a score in the 50s.”
The achievement comes as no surprise Steve Johnston, head professional at the club.
“The lad is a class act, on and off the course,” Said Johnston. “He burst his own previous course record of 61 by two shots and the amazing thing is he never birdied the easier holes.
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“The 4th, 11th and 13th are great birdie opportunities yet he made par on those three. His round was topped off by a drive followed up with only a wedge into the 541-yard par 5 18th and a casual birdie pencilled him in for 59.”
After three years in the amateur ranks, Howie is keen to follow his brother into the professional game but admits he needs to fine-tune before making the step up.
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“I’ve been playing amateur golf for three years now,” added Howie.
“I haven’t had the results I’ve quite wanted if I’m honest. The signs have been there though that my game is in the right place and I definitely know that I’m good enough on my day to be competing professionally. The challenge for me now is to bring that game on a more consistent basis.”
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