On Thursday, Hayden Springer had an outstanding first round at the John Deere Classic, shooting a 12-under 59. This achievement is rare in PGA Tour history, with only 14 players achieving sub-60 rounds before him. 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.
Springer’s exceptional round was also notable because it was the second time in three weeks that a player had broken 60. Cameron Young achieved a 59 in the second round at the Travelers Championship in June. Springer’s impressive front-nine score of 27 matched the tournament’s lowest nine-hole score. After sinking an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole to secure his 59, Springer reflected on his performance. He said that he had always felt like shooting a sub-60 round was possible after his exceptional front-nine play.
Despite missing the cut in seven of his previous eight events, Springer managed to deliver a remarkable opening round, showing significant improvement in his game. His lead over second-place Harry Hall was four shots at the end of his round.
