Mark Calcavecchia Birdies 9 Straight Holes, Sets PGA Tour Record

It isn't unusual for a professional golfer to shoot a round of 65. It's actually pretty ordinary, really. Last week, guys opened the British Open championship with the number and this week at the Canadian Open, consecutive rounds of 65 would have you three back of the lead.

What is unusual is the way Mark Calcavecchia did it on Saturday. During the second round of the Canadian Open, which has been struck with bad rainstorms all week, the 49-year-old Calcavecchia made nine straight birdies, breaking the PGA Tour record for consecutive birdies in a round.

Unlike Turnberry, Glen Abbey has been saturated so much by rain that players are able to fly shots at any pin, no matter how tucked it is on any green.

"It's just as opposite as you can get of last week," said Calcavecchia, coming off a 27th-place tie Sunday in the British Open.

"It's just fly it right to the stick. ... You give the guys out here no wind and greens that are plugging, you're going to see a lot of low scores."

Calc, who hasn't won on tour since the PODS Championship in 2007, was in the conversation last week at the British Open before a third round 77 dropped him well off the pace. This Saturday was a different story. Starting on the 10th hole, Calc made pars on his first two holes before making a birdie on the par-3 12th. He followed that up with eight straight, ending his record streak on the par-4 4th hole.

The record of eight straight birdies has stood on tour since 1961, when Bob Goalby was one shy of nine at the St. Petersburg Open. It had been matched by five other people throughout the years, but nobody had ever got to nine.

Standing at 9-under for the day, Mark struggled with two closing bogeys to wrap at 5-under and find himself t-17. Play is done for the day on Saturday, but should continue on Sunday for the second marathon finish on the PGA Tour in three weeks.

Jason Dufner, obviously playing as far from his surname as possible, is leading the Canadian Open at 13-under.