It’s easy to believe that great rounds of golf are all about birdies and eagles.
There’s no doubt that a low score matters, of course, but there’s more to it than that.
In our ranking of the best rounds of 2025 we consider rounds played under the greatest pressure, rounds that tested resolve, rounds that overcame significant deficits, rounds that defeated both the opposition and the weather, and – yes – rounds that went low.
But which round comes out on top? Let’s find out.
1. Rory McIlroy: final round 73 at the Masters
In one sense, the Northern Irishman’s middle rounds were the highlights of the week he won a first Masters and with it completed the Career Grand Slam.
That’s because a first round 72 had him T27th on the leaderboard before a pair of 66s left him two shots clear of the field on Saturday night.
But the final round, even if it was a 73, wins out because it was such a remarkable rollercoaster ride that called for both immense skill and resilience.
Oh yes, he opened with a double bogey. He also inexplicably pitched into water on 13 and he missed a tiddler on the final green.
But he also stood tall as the shadow of greatness crept across his line of sight and played the shot of the year: the soaring approach to 15 that he swung around the trees and across water to the table-top green.
2. Grace Kim: final round 67 at the Evian Championship
Even though the Aussie had birdied 15 and 16, she was two shots off the lead playing the par-5 final hole. Two shots later she had a tap-in for eagle and made it. If we can count extra holes (and we can), Kim’s round wasn’t finished.
She found water on the first play-off hole but chipped in for birdie. Minutes later another eagle landed the win.
She’d played the hole three times in 5-under with just two putts. Undoubtedly the most explosive finale of the year.
3. JJ Spaun: final round 72 at the US Open
Great golf rounds can be defined by fortitude and the American’s had lots of that. He needed it, too, because he made five bogeys in the first six holes of the final round at Oakmont and lurched to the turn in 5-over 40.
He got a little lucky in that play was stalled by bad weather but he used the delay to his benefit and not only returned home in 3-under 32, he birdied 17 after driving the green at the short par-4 and then drained a 64-foot birdie putt on 18 to seal the deal.
Nearest challenger Robert MacIntyre, watching on TV, burst into applause at the audacity of it.
4. Miyu Yamashita: second round 65 at the AIG Women’s Open
Only 11 golfers broke 70 in the second round at a cold and blustery Royal Porthcawl. Only two of those bettered 69 and one of those was a 68.
Yamashita’s ridiculous 65 earned her a three-shot lead she never conceded and it beat the field average by 9.42 strokes.
5. Sam Burns: second round 65 at the US Open
This year’s US Open venue was the brutal Oakmont and no-one played it better than Burns on Friday. His scintillating 65 was statistically the best of the men’s major championship year (using adjusted scoring average).
Only seven golfers broke 70 that day and the average score was 74.78.
Read more: Ranking all 17 first-time PGA winners in 2025 – and their chances of 2026 success
6. Justin Rose: final round 66 at the Masters
The Englishman’s first round wasn’t bad (a 65 for a three shot lead) but, having started the final round seven shots back of Rory McIlroy’s lead, he carded 10 birdies to force extra holes. Augusta National on Sunday is not supposed to be like that.
7. Lottie Woad: second round 67 at the Women’s Irish Open
This round not only gave the English amateur a three-shot halfway lead, it also sent her career into overdrive. She ultimately won the tournament, finished one shot outside a play-off in her next start, turned pro, and won the Scottish Open.
All in July. All prompted by one sensational lap of the course.
8. Kristoffer Reitan: final round 62 at the Soudal Open and 60 Austrian Alpine Open
Hang on, two rounds? Yes: two rounds. The Norwegian’s Sunday 62 in the Soudal Open forced a play-off he won and exactly one week later a 60 in the Austrian Alpine Open at Gut Altentann grabbed second.
Two great rounds played in eight days by one golfer.
9. Sebastian Munoz: first round 59 LIV Indianapolis
The Colombian had struggled win on LIV. Then he went sub-60 in round one at LIV Indianapolis, opened up a three-shot lead on the field, and, although Jon Rahm caught him with a final round 60 of his own, Munoz held on for the win.
All the sweeter because scores in the 50s don’t always lead to wins.
10. Jake Knapp: first round 59 in the Cognizant Classic
Speaking of sub-60 scores that don’t end with a trophy, the American carded his 59 at PGA National in the Cognizant Classic. In normal circumstances that would be astounding because it is typically a tough track.
Knapp led by four after 18 holes but, alas, he ended the week four back of the winner.
11. William Mouw: final round 61 at the ISCO Championship
In all of 2025 there were 47 winners on the PGA Tour and no less than 42 of them were tied third or better with 18 holes to play. 46 of them were tied eighth or better.
But Mouw? He was T25th. And then he carded a magnificent 61 to set a clubhouse target no-one could match.
Read next: Is Rory McIlroy really the best European golfer of all time?
The post The 12 best rounds of golf played in 2025 – who’s No.1? appeared first on Golf365.
Article Link: The 12 greatest rounds of golf in 2025: Where does McIlroy’s Masters win place?