Hayden Springer Shoots 59 at PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic

The 27-year-old Tennessean shot 27 on the front nine Thursday then finished eagle-birdie for golf’s magic number.

Hayden Springer is the newest member of the 59 club on the PGA Tour. / Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY

Hayden Springer joined an exclusive club Thursday at the John Deere Classic, firing a 59 on the Fourth of July.

The 27-year-old Tennessean shot the 14th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history, and just two weeks after its most recent occurrence when Cameron Young shot 59 at the Travelers Championship.

Springer caught fire early at TPC Deere Run, shooting an 8-under 27 on the front nine, starting with an eagle at the par-5 2nd hole. He then birdied his next four holes, then the 8th and 9th. 

On the back nine he came back to Earth with just one birdie over seven holes, but a holeout eagle out of rough from 55 yards on the par-5 17th hole brought 59 into play if he could birdie the 18th at the par-71 course.

Here’s what that looked like:

FIREWORKS on the 4th of July! 🎆
 
Hayden Springer sinks the 12-footer for a 59 @JDClassic. pic.twitter.com/cPYNgPneKB

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 4, 2024

“It's pretty special to be able to do that. I mean, played well last week, but it's been a little bit tough to kind of find anything and get stuff going and go low,” said Springer, who has missed eight of 14 cuts this season and ranks 236th in the world.

You know, so it is special. It feels good to be standing here and to have shot a good round of golf.

Springer had two eagles and eight birdies in all for the round opposite zero bogeys. He leads by two shots over Sami Valimaki, who shot 10-under 61.

Paul Goydos also shot 59 at TPC Deere Run, in the first round of the 2010 John Deere Classic (he finished the tournament second, behind Steve Stricker. The lowest score in Tour history remains Jim Furyk’s 58, shot in 2016 at the Travelers Championship at the par-70 TPC River Highlands.

"That's a pretty cool list to add my name to,” Springer said.