40:I[29208,["/_next/static/chunks/2jhrjnncm5raz.js","/_next/static/chunks/1gw-kb5iisnl3.js","/_next/static/chunks/1yt446igj3lq7.js","/_next/static/chunks/0l-6rirxtdwmo.js","/_next/static/chunks/2garizayuhlpl.js","/_next/static/chunks/3-0vwtd1eg-pp.js","/_next/static/chunks/2udqgiyebnpne.js","/_next/static/chunks/2l-gom9jx5wxg.js","/_next/static/chunks/0dsjsiwpje-72.js","/_next/static/chunks/3vdprxpabg9bg.js","/_next/static/chunks/0s7b7lxeeaa3w.js"],"default"] 3a:Tdba,

AVONDALE, La. (AP) — Matt Fitzpatrick, fresh off his RBC Heritage victory, teamed with younger brother Alex to shoot an 8-under 64 in better-ball play Thursday in the Zurich Classic, leaving the English duo six shots behind Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer.

Smalley and Springers matched the tournament record with a 58.

Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka, who comprise the most accomplished team at the par-72 TPC Louisiana this week, shot a 66 to leave them outside the top 40 and in danger of missing the cut — unless they can make a strong push Friday in alternate-shot play.

The format returns to better ball Saturday, and back to alternate shot Sunday.

Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat were a shot behind after a round in which they followed Eckroat's eagle on the par-5 seventh with eight straight birdies.

Three teams were tied for third at 60: Sam Stevens and Zach Bouchou, along with Eric Cole and Hank Lebioda, and Nick Dunlap and Gordon Sargent.

Billy Horschel — the only player to win the Zurich in both single-play and team formats — was again in the hunt when after he and Tom Hoge shot a 61 — highlighted by Hoge's eagle on No. 2 — to put them in a seven-way tie for sixth.

Aaron Rai and Sahith Theegala each made eagles — Rai by spinning in a 106-yard approach shot on the par-4 13th — and posted a 62.

Defending Zurich champs Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak shot a bogey-free 65 and will need to move up some to make the cut.

Smalley, who has never won on the PGA Tour, made a 19-foot eagle put on the par-5 second hold after sinking a 16 1/2-footer to bridie No. 1. His tee shot on No. 3 landed within 7 feet to set up another birdie to put his team at 4 under.

The pair of 29-year-old Americans then combined to birdie 10 of their final 14 holes. Springer, also seeking a maiden tour triumph, accounted for the final four birdies, highlighted by his 36-foot putt on the par-3 17th.

A large gallery gathered at the first hole to watch the Fitzpatricks tee off in the same group with Lowry and Koepka on a sunny, breezy, 80-degree afternoon.

Koepka — in his first season back on the PGA Tour after four years with LIV Golf — entered the week needing a good showing to earn his first exemption for a signature event, the next of which takes place next week at Trump National Doral in Miami.

Lowry carried their team early, with birdies on five of the first eight holes. Koepka finally pitched in with a 31 1/2-foot birdie putt on 10, but the pair did not better that par the rest of the way.

The Fitzpatricks, playing together a fourth straight year in New Orleans, got to 9-under with Matt Fitzpatrick's three straight bridies on the 15th through 17th holes. But then both hit their second shots in the water on the par-5 18th and closed with a bogey.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

3b:Tdba,

Smalley and Springers matched the tournament record with a 58.

The format returns to better ball Saturday, and back to alternate shot Sunday.

Davis Thompson and Austin Eckroat were a shot behind after a round in which they followed Eckroat's eagle on the par-5 seventh with eight straight birdies.

Three teams were tied for third at 60: Sam Stevens and Zach Bouchou, along with Eric Cole and Hank Lebioda, and Nick Dunlap and Gordon Sargent.

Aaron Rai and Sahith Theegala each made eagles — Rai by spinning in a 106-yard approach shot on the par-4 13th — and posted a 62.

Defending Zurich champs Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak shot a bogey-free 65 and will need to move up some to make the cut.

A large gallery gathered at the first hole to watch the Fitzpatricks tee off in the same group with Lowry and Koepka on a sunny, breezy, 80-degree afternoon.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

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Hayden Springer drained a 12-foot birdie on No. 18 to shoot a 59 in the opening round of the John Deere Classic. He held a two-shot lead following Thursday's action.

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

The American became the second PGA TOUR golfer to card a sub-60 round in less than two weeks after Cameron Young did so at the Travelers Championship on June 22.

After a sizzling 8-under 27 on the front nine, Springer cooled off and sat at 9-under with two holes to play. However, he holed out for eagle from 55 yards on No. 17 to give himself a chance on the final hole.

Hole-out eagle on 17 to move to 11-under 🔥

Hayden Springer needs a birdie at the last to shoot a 59 @JDClassic! pic.twitter.com/BngRdASLkI
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 4, 2024

The 27-year-old carded the 14th sub-60 round in PGA TOUR history. Jim Furyk holds the record for the lowest round ever on TOUR with a 58 at the Travelers in 2016. Bryson DeChambeau fired LIV's first and only 58 at Greenbrier last August.

Springer earned his TOUR card at Q-School in December. He missed the cut in seven of the 13 previous tournaments he played this year, but he finished tied for 10th at the Rocket Mortgage Classic last week.

He leads the John Deere Classic at 12-under par. Sami Valimaki is two strokes back in second place, while Eric Cole is three off the lead in third.

3d:Tb3e,

Hayden Springer drained a 12-foot birdie on No. 18 to shoot a 59 in the opening round of the John Deere Classic. He held a two-shot lead following Thursday's action.

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

The American became the second PGA TOUR golfer to card a sub-60 round in less than two weeks after Cameron Young did so at the Travelers Championship on June 22.

Hole-out eagle on 17 to move to 11-under 🔥

Hayden Springer needs a birdie at the last to shoot a 59 @JDClassic! pic.twitter.com/BngRdASLkI
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 4, 2024

He leads the John Deere Classic at 12-under par. Sami Valimaki is two strokes back in second place, while Eric Cole is three off the lead in third.

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Just over a month after losing his 3-year-old daughter to a genetic disorder, Hayden Springer held steady down the closing hole Monday and earned one of five PGA Tour cards at the tour's first Q-school in 11 years.

Springer closed with a 1-under 69 on the rain-soaked Dye Valley course at TPC Sawgrass, advancing to the PGA Tour for the first time with two shots to spare.

Harrison Endycott of Australia had no such drama with his golf, building a comfortable lead and posting a 67 to finish as medalist, which paid $50,000. Far more valuable was a spot on the PGA Tour next year. Also earning cards were Trace Crowe, Blaine Hale Jr., Raul Pereda of Mexico and Springer.

Everyone who reached the final stage was assured some level of status on the Korn Ferry Tour. Springer leaned on having full status from winning the Canadian tour points title this year.

His story first came to light when he qualified for the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines two years ago. Springer and his wife, Emma, learned their daughter had Trisomy 18 — also known as Edwards Syndrome — in which babies are born with three copies of chromosome 18 instead of two. Such infants typically don't make it 72 hours. Sage was 3 when she died on Nov. 13.

“I definitely came in this week trying to make sure that I was gonna have enough of an emotional capacity to play and to be ready,” Springer told Golf Channel. "Because it’s definitely been a tough last month and emotional last month.”

The Springers also have a 1-year-old daughter, Annie.

Springer looked to have a card locked up until making bogeys at the 12th and 13th. He bounced back with a birdie on the par-3 14th. But then he failed to birdie the par-5 16th, and he pulled his tee shot into the water on the tough par-4 17th.

He did well to get the ball around the green, but it was in a bunker to the left, and the pin was on the left. A double bogey would leave him right on the cut line with the third-toughest hole on the course, No. 18, still to play.

But he blasted out to 4 feet and escaped with bogey. On the 18th, he safely reached the green and two-putted for his par.

The PGA Tour brought back Q-school for the first time since 2012. It had gone away from the meritocratic system when it switched to a wraparound season in 2013, and the only direct path to the big leagues was through the Korn Ferry Tour.

The Korn Ferry Tour still offers more opportunities. Springer got one of the five cards.

Endycott ends the year feeling like a winner, just one month after he finished out of the top 125 in the FedEx Cup as a rookie and faced conditional status. He played brilliantly to be medalist at Q-school. The final round was postponed one day by 4 inches of rain, and not even the extra day slowed the Australian.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

3f:Tb98,

Springer closed with a 1-under 69 on the rain-soaked Dye Valley course at TPC Sawgrass, advancing to the PGA Tour for the first time with two shots to spare.

Everyone who reached the final stage was assured some level of status on the Korn Ferry Tour. Springer leaned on having full status from winning the Canadian tour points title this year.

The Springers also have a 1-year-old daughter, Annie.

But he blasted out to 4 feet and escaped with bogey. On the 18th, he safely reached the green and two-putted for his par.

The Korn Ferry Tour still offers more opportunities. Springer got one of the five cards.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

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Hayden Springer

Hayden Springer

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Springer earns PGA TOUR card a month after daughter's death