After graduating from Byron Nelson High School, he played at the one and only Ben Hogan-designed course.
Maybe Hayden Springer’s history didn’t give anyone outside the sport any reason to believe that he could hold a place amongst such Texas golf elite.
However, on July 4, 2024, the 27-year-old, seemingly reserved Dallas native Springer gained recognition as one of the very few players who had achieved a sub-60 round on the PGA TOUR.
And when the rookie on the PGA TOUR calmly curved a 12-foot, 8-inch putt at the 18th hole at TPC Deere Run to cap a 12-under round of 59 early on Thursday afternoon, it only somewhat surprised people in his tight circle of mentors and relatives. He now joins 12 other players who have accomplished the same feat.
“He’s always considered himself to be the greatest of the best. Success and greatness and being the finest version of himself are undoubtedly extremely important to him, but you don’t have to shoot 59 to be the best in the world, and you don’t have to be the best in the world to shoot 59. This is one of those days when someone can cross a major professional milestone. He is able to claim that.”said Emma springer’s wife after witnessing her husband create a four-shot lead (two by the end of the day) with his historic opening round at the John Deere Classic.
When Springer enrolled in the illustrious club’s junior program eighteen years ago, Rosey Bartlett, the veteran but now retired director of teaching at Trophy Club outside of Dallas, undoubtedly noticed that ambition and fire.
“What a fantastic young guy he is. He is considerate. He is inquisitive. He is, nonetheless, quite motivated. He is a wonderful young man despite being a typical redhead and a touch obstinate.”she said on Thursday.
Similarly, Michael Burns, who has intermittently caddied for Springer during his five-year journeyman pursuit of a spot on the PGA TOUR, has witnessed components of a game capable of competing with the best.
“He fired a 61 in a Monday qualification for the Price Cutter Charity Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour the first time I worked with him, and I knew I would be working with him as soon as he received his card.”Burns said.
Springer has traveled a long way with average results since going professional in 2019 in order to obtain that card. The youthful Texan participated in 12 starts on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica in 2022, making nine cuts and five top-10 results (now part of PGA TOUR Americas along with PGA TOUR Canada). Despite making just one cut in four Korn Ferry starts that season, he finished in the top 10 in two of the seven PGA TOUR Canada events he played in 2023, including two wins.
Nevertheless, in December, Springer showed his mettle and accomplished his goal of making it into the Tour by finishing in fourth place at the PGA TOUR Q-School, which was sponsored by Korn Ferry. Remarkably, he took this action just one month following the lengthy struggle his three-year-old daughter Sage faced against the hereditary chromosomal disorder Trisomy 18.
That could be the clearest illustration of the tenacity and fortitude that Emma, Bartlett, and Burns had long recognized in Springer.
“It’s a wonder he can even swing a golf club. I’m not sure how I would manage to carry on. However, I believe he has been on a mission ever since she passed away. I’m sure he is really missing her. On his phone, her photo serves as the screen saver. The young man never gives up and is always on a quest.”Burns said.
“It puts you to the test, for sure. You simply figure out how to get beyond it and carry on. Several difficult things have occurred. Ultimately, though, I want to compete as well. I adore carrying that out.”Springer added
The incredible round on Thursday was a well-earned reward and demonstrated the patience and tenacity that got the tough Texan through Sage’s defeat, his journeyman’s stay, and a season that had more lows than highs.
After making five cashes in his first seven tournaments of the season, including a third-place finish in the Puerto Rico Open, Springer’s season took a turn for the worst, missing 6 straight cuts until 4 strong rounds at this week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic produced a T10 finish.
That was when he resumed working with Bartlett, who saw Springer struggle at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson and Charles Schwab Challenge and came up with a few potential fixes.
“We were able to get him back to where he was with his set-up after he had become somewhat off balance. Over the past few weeks, we’ve worked to help him feel at ease with his previous actions, and he has accepted them all. I believed there was a 64 or 63 in there. I may have misjudged the presence of a 59 in there. I’m overjoyed for him since he also putted so well on Thursday.”Bartlett said.
In fact, during his morning round, Springer gained 3.746 putts on the field and made 111 feet of putts. In addition, he made 14 greens with an average of 304.5 yards off the tee and successfully scrambled on the remaining four.
Springer absolutely destroyed the TPC Deere Run frontside with a John Deere Classic tournament record 27. He began with an eagle on the par-5 second hole and concluded with a run of six birdies over his next seven. His progress towards the second sub-60 round in TPC Deere Run history was hampered by six consecutive pars on the backside. However, he followed up his spectacular round on July 4th with an 18-foot, 6-inch birdie roll at the difficult 15th hole. He then birdied the 166-yard par-3 signature TPC Deere Run 16th, setting the stage for an eagle-birdie finish and the 14th sub-60 round in TOUR history, the second in as many weeks.
He completed the difficult task by holing out at the par-5 17th hole from 55 yards out on the left rough. With the opportunity to tie Paul Goydos’ incredible 59 at TPC Deere Run in 2010, he advanced to 18. The big-hitting rookie was set up for a piece of golf history with a 308-yard drive to the right center of the 18th fairway and a 153-yard approach to 12 feet, 8 inches. He wasted it.
“Though I tried not to get ahead of myself, I was considering it. It feels fairly great to pull it off.”he admitted.
I was thinking about it, even though I tried not to get ahead of myself. It’s quite satisfying to pull it off.
“It is a fresh day tomorrow. I have no idea what will occur.”he said.
Whatever the case, the Byron Nelson High School alumnus and product of a golf course co-designed by Ben Hogan and Kathy Whitworth has cemented his position in golf history.
