Hayden Springer makes history with a first-round 59 at the John Deere Classic

Hayden Springer had an extraordinary opening round at the John Deere Classic on Thursday, shooting a 12-under 59, a rare accomplishment in PGA Tour history. It was just the 14th time a sub-60 round had been achieved on the PGA Tour. His performance at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, tied the record for the first round of the John Deere Classic, matching Paul Goydos’ 59 from 2010.

This exceptional round also marked the second time a player had broken 60 in three weeks, with Cameron Young achieving a 59 in the second round at the Travelers Championship in June. Springer’s 27 on the front nine matched the tournament’s lowest nine-hole score. Following that impressive start, he shot a 32 on the back nine to finish with a score of 59 for the round.

After sinking an 18-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to secure his 59, Springer reflected on his performance. He mentioned that shooting 59 felt like a possibility after his exceptional front-nine score of 27. Springer’s lead over second-place Harry Hall was four shots at the end of his round. Despite missing the cut in seven of his previous eight events, he managed to deliver a remarkable opening round, showing significant improvement in his game.