Is there another 59 out there? Here's some candidates

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If you don't think Paul Goydos has another 59 in him, ask yourself this -- did you think he'd do it last year?

How low can they go?

That's the question on everyone's mind this week. Well, one of them.

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The other? Can Steve Stricker three-peat? But truthfully, that just dovetails with the previous question.

Stricker, you recall, popped an opening-round 60 on the way to a successful defense of his 2009 John Deere Classic title last year. And he wasn't even the leader.

That honor went to Paul Goydos and his 59. Yes, 5-9. Nines of 31-28. The fourth one in PGA TOUR history, soon to be followed by Stuart Appleby's at The Greenbrier Classic a few weeks later.

Scoring was so low in that first round at the TPC at Deere Run that 81 players broke 70. Goydos shot in the 60s the next three days and finished second. And Stricker? He followed that 60 with a 66-62-70 for his second Deere title.

Any wonder it's one of Strick's favorite places to play?

"This tournament reminds me of the way it was when I first came out on tour," Stricker said earlier this year. "... I obviously enjoy the course. I have some very good feelings going around here. I hope to do it one more time."

Rain softened the course last year, but that doesn't take a thing away from those eye-popping opening scores. Heck, Stricker started the day 12 shots off the lead.

"That's tough to swallow," Stricker said. "That's why you've got to get into a little different thought process and get in your own little world and chip away.''

Which he did. Four other players shot opening 64s, four more shot 65s.

But Goydos' 59 had everyone talking.

"Today was a nuclear bomb," Goydos said after the round. "I don't know where it came from. If I knew that, I wouldn't be able to touch it."

Ah, the magic number. The career-maker. The coolest number in the game.

For the moment.

How low can they go? We're not sure. Three players can claim 58s, just on the TOUR. Jason Bohn did it in Canada in 2001. Shigeki Maruyama did in an Open qualifier in 2000. Ryo Ishikawa did it in Japan in 2010.

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We're not saying that's coming this week. And we're not saying there will be another 59 or 60 -- there were three total on the TOUR last year -- coming your way from the Deere.

What we are saying is ... well, they love to go low here. The pressure is off a bit since part of the field is prepping for the British Open and ... if someone gets going on this course ...

So, in the spirit of low numbers, we offer you a half-dozen players we think could go low.

1. Stricker. A reach? Maybe yes, maybe no. If we'd pick anyone to three-peat it would be this guy who always makes us realize his game is underrated. Hard to back up a 60? Maybe easier. He had a second-round 61 and a closing 64 in his 2009 win. The guy is 46-under for the last two Deeres with two rounds above 69. Yikes. Pressure? Not really. Nothing compared to a few years ago.That's why we like him.

2. Goydos. Lightning twice? Given the way he's playing, he could throw out another 59 and follow it with a 79. Or he could cruise. Pressure? Sunshine is at his best when he forgets about the negatives and just plays. He's good.

3. Jason Day. Popular guy these days, especially after runner-up finishes in the first two majors of the year. But why here? He's playing here because the Deere folks were good to him in the past and he's loyal. He's also on the cusp here. Three Deeres and nine of those 12 rounds have been in the 60s. Hmmm.

4. Steve Marino. One of these days ... could be now. He threw out a third round 63 last week and did shoot a 59 on the mini-tours back in the day. An old-style player who could get on a serious roll. Reminds you of Mark Calcavecchia, doesn't he? Another guy not afraid to go low.

5. Gary Woodland. One win, one playoff loss in 2011. Lots of low numbers. He gets on a roll and ...

6. Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson, Robert Garrigus. Ok, so we piled on in this last one, but ... Zach proved he could go low in his 2008 Valero Texas Open week, Cink opened with a 64 at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial and Garrigus had a 63 at the Tournament of Champions. They're all prepped to go low.

But before we go, we must remind you really can't predict a 59 or a 60. It's magic. It's cool. It's seriously scary sometimes. And it always comes from someone you never thought about. Really.

Melanie Hauser is a columnist for PGATOUR.COM and can be reached at melaniehauser@gmail.com. Her views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR. Follow her on Twitter @melaniehauser.