Born January 9, 1997, in Nashville, Tennessee, Hayden Springer will turn 29 in a couple of months. He was raised in Trophy Club, Texas, and continues to compete out of his hometown, where he still resides. At 6’3″ and 215 lbs, Springer commands a strong stature and powerful swings, traits that have inevitably helped him since early in his golfing career.

Right after his graduation, the Texan golfer turned pro in 2019. Since then, he has gone on to compete in numerous circuits, including the All Pro Tour, PGA Tour Canada, PGA Tour Latinoamerica, and the Korn Ferry Tour. Springer joined the PGA Tour in 2024. However, as impressive as his resume looks, his collegiate career is equally as decorated.

Hayden Springer’s rise to the top ranks

The 28-year-old competed in the Texas Junior Golf Tour (TJGT) during his high school years. He had a fairly successful run on the junior Tour, recording eight top-3 finishes, which showcased his ability to find himself in the top circle consistently.

This stint included 4 wins and multiple opportunities in the biggest junior events. Springer competed in the 2014 Texas Amateur at Brook Hollow CC. Moreover, he was awarded the Lord Byron Award for character and integrity. In light of his achievements during his time at the Byron Nelson High School, it’s safe to say Springer made a strong case for being a golfing prodigy.

Right after leaving high school, Springer joined his first team at Texas Tech University. From 2015 to 2017, Springer competed at the university until his sophomore year. However, he had a slow start during the first two years of college.

During freshman year, Springer teed off for the Red Raiders in 4 tournaments, with his best finishes coming at 26th at the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate (6-over) and 31st at the Amer Ari Invitational (5-over). The Red Raider challenger qualified for the PGA FedEx St. Jude Classic as an amateur. This reflected his ability to compete at the highest levels. He then changed his school during his junior year, moving to Texas Christian University (TCU).

He played for the TCU Men’s Golf Horned Frogs team, leading the team to glory multiple times. Owing to his exceptional academic-athletic balance, Springer received the honors of Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar. Moreover, highlighting his leadership skills and team chemistry, the junior also led the TCU at the NCAA Regional. Translating to his clubs, Springer recorded a commendable average score of 73.22. Oftentimes, he posted scores at or below par, further cementing his name among the university’s top golf graduates.

However, his course trajectory truly took off during his senior year, when he secured his first collegiate win. That victory came at the Big 12 Championship at The Greenbrier with a career-best 8-under 202. Springer wrote another stellar performance with a runner-up at the Lake Charles Invitational (-13). Although these marked his season highlights, his scoring statistics improved by heaps, too. Up from last year, his average score sat at 71.74. Moreover, he led TCU at the NCAA Championships.

Apparently, Hayden Springer’s highlight reel performance during his collegiate days quickly transformed into career highs well into his professional stint.

Joining the professional tours and the PGA Tour

Hayden Springer quickly joined the All Pro Tour right after turning professional. However, his first professional win didn’t come until he joined the PGA Tour Canada. Springer won twice on the circuit, both of those victories coming in 2023. He posted his first win at the CentrePort Canada Rail Park, Manitoba Open, and his second at the Fortinet Cup Championship. These victories propelled his ranks in the Fortinet Cup standings, where he finished No. 1 and received Player of the Year. But 2023 wasn’t all roses and sunshine for the pro golfer.

Springer and his wife, Emma, went through a heartbreaking loss in November 2023, losing their daughter Sage at just the age of three. The cause of death was a genetic disorder, Trisomy 18, which Sage was diagnosed with at birth.

Their daughter’s disorder, caused by an extra copy of chromosome 18, prompted them to establish a nonprofit organization supporting the cause. The couple founded Extra To Love for families with children diagnosed with Trisomy 18. Despite the couple’s unrelenting efforts, they could not save their daughter. The couple has another daughter, Annie.

However, battling right through the grief of losing their first child, Springer earned his PGA Tour card via Q School only a month after. Not only did this mark an important chapter of his life, but it also made his family and friends proud of his resilience. Even his caddie, Michael Burns, paid tribute to his strength, sharing, “He’s like my little brother, and I’ve never been so proud of somebody in my life.”

The Texan golfer has competed in 49 events on the Tour, making the cut in 28 of them. While he has yet to secure his first PGA Tour win, Springer has had his fair share of top performances. The golfer has recorded 10 top-10 finishes, 1 top-5 finish, and 1 third-place finish. Despite only competing for two seasons on the Tour, he has raked in a considerable amount at $2,063,525.

Would Springer be be able to mark his name among the next generation of golfers?