Springer sizzles with 59 to lead John Deere Classic

Hayden Springer shot a sensational 12-under-par 59 to take a two-shot lead at the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic in Illinois on Thursday.

The 27-year-old rattled off an astonishing eight birdies and two eagles in a bogey-free outing at TPC Deere Run to complete the 14th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history.

Springer, ranked 236th in the world, erupted on the front nine, with an eagle on the par-five second before reeling off six birdies in seven holes to reach the turn at eight under.

After five straight birdies to start the back nine, Springer moved to nine under after rolling in a 19-foot birdie putt on the 15th.

He then followed that up on the par-five 17th with an eagle three, chipping in from around 55 yards to drop to 11 under.

That left him needing a birdie on the 18th to breach 60 and he duly delivered, rolling in a 13-foot putt after reaching the green in two.

"I don't even really have words. Like I'm still shaking a little bit," Springer said after his dazzling round.

"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 then 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."

Springer's opening round was made all the more remarkable given his recent form.

Before securing a share of 10th place at his last tournament, last week's Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, Springer had missed the cut at five straight tournaments.

Springer said reconnecting with former coach Rosey Bartlett had helped him make some crucial adjustments.

"It's been a rough little stretch, but I went back to an old coach of mine that I grew up going to and she straightened me out a little bit and helped me get back to some feels that worked in the past," he said. "So that's made a little bit of a difference."

Springer only earned his first PGA Tour card last December, just weeks after the death of his three-year-old daughter due to complications from the rare chromosomal disorder, Trisomy 18.

The rookie said enduring that traumatic loss had taught him how to battle through hardship.

"I don't know if it gives me inner strength, but it definitely tests you and you kind of have just find ways to work through it and to continue to move forward," he said.

"But at the end of the day I also want to compete and I love doing that. That's what drives me to want to make that putt or want to shoot low scores more than anything."

Springer's round left him two shots clear of Finland's Sami Valimaki, who stitched together a career-low 10-under-par 61 with a round that included 11 birdies and one bogey.

"I played really awesome," Valimaki said. "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."

Valimaki is one shot clear of Eric Cole, who is three off the lead after a nine-under-par 62.

England's Harry Hall, Davis Thompson and Luke Clanton are tied for fourth on eight under after shooting 63s.

Seven players are tied for seventh on seven under.

rcw/sev