PGA Tour rookie Hayden Springer carded a flawless 12-under 59 featuring eight birdies and two eagles at the par-5s 2nd and 17th hole to take a two-shot lead at the John Deere Classic.

“I don’t even really have words. Like I’m still shaking a little bit.

“It’s like something you dream of, right? We all want to go out and shoot 59. You don’t ever really — I don’t know how many chances I’ll ever get at doing that again. To pull it off and hole that shot on 17 and give myself a putt at it and make the putt on 18 was pretty special.

“I putted well all day. I liked pretty much every putt I hit and a lot of them went in. Was able to save a few, too. ”

The American is the thirteenth player to shoot a sub-60 round on the Tour and the second within two weeks following Cameron Young at the Travelers Championship, the second-shortest time span between sub-60 rounds on Tour (2017/Justin Thomas and Adam Hadwin/9 days).

His career-best nine-hole score of 8-under 27 in his 19th start, also set a new John Deere Classic record (previous 28: Zach Johnson/2006/R1, Kent Jones/2006/R2, Sepp Straka/2023/R4).

“[The 59] was in my mind making the turn for sure. It’s almost like you feel like you have to at that point because you’re starting ahead making the turn to be able to do that.

“So I was definitely thinking about it, and then made some pars and kind of pulled it off at the end.”

He becomes the first player in Tour history to play his final two holes in 3-under par en route to a sub-60.

Finland’s Sami Välimäki carded a 10-under 61 to take second place after earning exempt status to the PGA Tour by way of the top-10 in the 2023 DP World Tour Eligibility Ranking category. He seeks a second top-10 of the season (2nd/Mexico Open at Vidanta).

“I played really awesome,” said the Finn. “From tee to green whole day was really good. Of course putter needs to be good if you want to shoot low. From tee-to-green that was the key.

“Not many missed shots, and if I miss it it was always in kind of right spot.”

American Eric Cole signed for a bogey-free 62 to take third place at 9-under followed in fourth at 8-under by compatriots Davis Thompson, Chan Kim, Luke Clanton and England’s Harry Hall with all but Clanton staying bogey-free.

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