news-record.com

GREENSBORO -- One by one, the birdies and eagles fell. And with them, so did Mike Goodes' score. By the end of his round Thursday at Greensboro Country Club, the PGA Champions Tour player added up his score and couldn't believe it: 57.

That's right, 57. Goodes didn't just break former Greensboro resident and PGA Tour player Lee Porter's course record of 59, he shattered it.

How do you shoot a 57?

"Usually, you play 14 holes and walk off," Goodes joked Friday. "I have no clue how I did it."

Actually, the Reidsville resident did it with a remarkable 10-hole stretch that included eight birdies and two eagles.

Granted, Goodes' accomplishment came on a short course. Legendry architect Donald Ross had to wedge Greensboro's 6,130-yard, par-71 course into the surrounding neighborhood.

But as Eric Anthony, a member at Greensboro C.C. and Goodes' playing partner Thursday, said, "It's still an amazing round of golf."

Anthony shot a 67.

"It kind of hurts to shoot a 67 and still get beat by 10 shots," he said.

Goodes followed his eagle on the par-5 13th hole with birdies at the 15th and 16th holes to go to 14-under for his round. He could have gone lower, but he parred the final two holes. "Folded under the pressure, I guess," Goodes said.

The closest Goodes has come to breaking 60 for a competitive round was a 61 in a Champions Tour qualifier.

"Fifty-seven. Fifty-seven," Goodes said. "It doesn't even sound right. It looks like it's missing a few shots."

Contact Robert Bell at 373-7055 or robert.bell @news-record.com