John Deere Classic Round 1 12 Under Par 59
Boasting 'Perfect Play' with 2 Eagles and 8 Birdies
14th Ever '50s Score' Record in PGA Tour History
Rookie Hayden Springer (USA) recorded a "dream 59 strokes."
On the 4th (local time), at TPC Deer Run (par 71, 7,289 yards) in Silvis, Illinois, USA, during the first round of the PGA Tour John Deere Classic (total prize money $8 million), he shot 12 under par 59. Without any bogeys, he made 2 eagles and 8 birdies to complete this remarkable feat.
Scores in the 50s on the PGA Tour have been recorded 14 times since Al Geiberger (USA) first achieved it at the 1977 Memphis Classic. The previous record was Cameron Young (USA), who shot 59 in the third round of last month's Travelers Championship. Jim Furyk (USA), known for his "figure-eight swing," is the only player to have shot 58, achieving 12 under par with 1 eagle and 10 birdies in the fourth round of the 2016 Travelers Championship in August.
Springer eagled the 2nd hole (par 5), followed by four consecutive birdies from holes 3 to 6, and then back-to-back birdies on holes 8 and 9, finishing the front nine at 8 under par 27. On the back nine, he maintained par on five holes before making a "55-yard shot eagle" on the 17th hole (par 5) and a dramatic 3.9-meter birdie putt on the final 18th hole (par 4) to complete the 59. His power came from drives up to 341 yards and "stingy putting" with an average of 1.36 putts per green hit.
Right after the round, Springer said with a trembling voice, "This is something I've dreamed of. Making an eagle on the 17th hole followed by a birdie on the 18th was special. I don't know if I'll get another chance like this." Springer turned professional in 2019 and debuted on the PGA Tour this year as a rookie. He has played in 19 regular tour events so far, including 14 this year, with his best finish being a tie for 3rd at the Puerto Rico Open in March.
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