Nate Horne, a 15-year-old rising golf star, achieved an historic milestone at Highland Country Club by shooting the lowest score ever recorded. His round of 59 on the 6,735-yard, par-72 Donald Ross layout shattered the previous record of 61 set in 2021 by J.C. McFadyen. The accomplishment marks a defining moment in the club's 78-year history.
Horne's remarkable performance unfolded over two halves of the course. He began with the back nine, delivering standout moments with birdies on holes 10, 12, 13, and 14, and an eagle on 16. After a brief stumble with a bogey on the par-three 15th, he picked up momentum with another eagle at the first hole on the front nine. Birdies on holes 2, 4, 5, and 6 followed, with a near-miss at 7 that kept the 59 intact.
The defining moment came on the ninth hole, the most critical of the day. After pulling his tee shot into the rough, Horne faced a daunting 136-yard chip from 136 yards to the green, over a water hazard. His chip landed 18 feet from the hole. With nerves steady, he calmly made the uphill par putt, officially securing the new record.
Club and Family Rush to Celebrate the Moment
Word of Horne’s potential record spread quickly across the course. By the time he reached the ninth green, the club’s golf director, Micah Vugrinec, and a staff member from the golf shop were on hand to greet him. Not to be left out, Nate’s father, Gary, hurried from the family home in VanStory Hills to witness the final moments of his son's historic round.
“They were in shock. Everybody was going crazy the whole day,” Horne said, describing the excited and surprised reactions from his playing partners, which included his older brother, Thomas. The group was in disbelief as the young phenom steadily approached the record, hole by hole.
A Future on the PGA Tour?
Nate Horne’s success at Highland Country Club places him in the company of golf legends who once played there as juniors. Notably, Ray Floyd and Chip Beck, both of whom made their mark on the PGA Tour, honed their skills at the same club. Floyd, now 83, earned notable PGA Tour victories such as the 1969 and 1982 PGA Championships. Beck, 70, also enjoyed a successful PGA Tour career, winning four titles and earning the 1988 Vardon Trophy for best average score. Beck also recorded his own 59 in the third round of the 1991 Las Vegas Invitational.
Horne, now a sophomore at Terry Sanford High School, has already earned notable junior accolades. He took home the 2022 Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship for boys ages 10-11 at Koasati Pines Golf Club in Kinder, Louisiana. This July, his high school team captured the N.C. High School Athletic Association 6A crown, followed by a victory at the PGA High School Boys Golf National Invitational at Pinehurst Resort’s No. 5 and No. 6 courses.
While his immediate focus remains on high school, Horne dreams of one day competing on the PGA Tour. “And a [Masters] green jacket would be awesome,” he added, hinting at his ambitions to one day don the iconic green jacket worn by champions of golf's most prestigious tournament.
Horne has already shown the talent and poise to match his lofty goals. With a calm demeanor and a knack for clutch performances, he’s well on his way to making Highland Country Club proud once again.
For now, the 15-year-old will cherish the memory of breaking the course record in front of an excited crowd. “I still can’t believe it,” Horne admitted after the round, reflecting on the magnitude of the achievement. “I hope it holds for a while, but I still think someone is going to shoot a 58 someday.”