In the final month of 2023, Hayden Springer earned his way onto the PGA tour. Just eight months later, the Tennessee-born golfer had already cemented his name in PGA Tour history by carding a historic score of 59 in the first round of the 2024 John Deere Classic. Springer’s much-awaited success has come after a long and arduous battle in his personal life and through it all, the person who remained by his side as his pillar of strength was none other than his wife, Emma Springer. So who is Mrs. Springer?

Hayden Springer and Emma Springer first crossed paths back in their college days at Texas Tech University. They met as freshmen. The PGA Tour pro owes a lot to golf, as it played a crucial role in his love story with Emma. The Nashville native was a part of the university’s men’s golf team, the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and Emma was also an avid fan of the sport and bonded over it.

Although Hayden Springer took the next step to establish himself as a successful golfer by transferring to TCU (Texas Christian University), his love for Emma never faded. His decision to transfer and time spent away from Emma during college turned out to be fruitful, as he triumphed in the Big 12 championship as a senior, defeating the likes of Viktor Hovland.

The love between the couple continued to grow and they got married on August 2, 2019, after Hayden’s graduation and beginning his pro career. The following year, brought the joyous news of Emma’s pregnancy with their family of two, soon to become three by the end of October 2020. However, the Springers’ perfect journey soon hit a roadblock.

Emma and Hayden Springer’s journey of love, faith and hope

When Emma went for an ultrasound in May 2020, the doctors discovered some abnormalities regarding the fetus. Eventually, in July, the couple received the devastating news: their soon-to-be-born baby daughter had a genetic disease, Trisomy 18. According to the statistics, 50% of babies with this disease are stillborn, and the remaining 50%, who survive, have a lifespan of anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks.

Haunted by the specter that their unborn child might either be stillborn or live a maximum of 14 days, it was heartbreaking and incredibly difficult for the Springers to comprehend. They lived in fear throughout the remainder of the pregnancy.

When the couple’s daughter, Sage Elyse Springer, was born on October 1, 2020, doctors initially expected her to live a maximum of three days. What should have been one of the happiest days for the couple was marred with the miserable news. However, the Sage turned out to be a true fighter, defying all the odds. baby Springer lived for three years.

Two years after their first child, the couple once again expanded their family and welcomed their second child, Annie, in October 2022. Their time with Sage was nearing an end and they eventually bid farewell to their firstborn on November 13, 2023. Hayden Springer has played the roles of a husband and a father very well while pursuing his path in professional golf. A month after Sage’s passing, the Nashville golfer got his PGA Tour card, finishing at T4 at the Q-School presented by the Korn Ferry Tour. On the occasion, the pro remembered his daughter: “I can just close my eyes and think about her smiling.”

In order to raise awareness about the genetic disease, Trisomy 18, that took their elder daughter’s life, the couple have started a non-profit organization, ‘Extra to Love.’ Expressing gratitude for more than the expected time by doctors that they got with Sage, Hayden Springer told Star-Telegram, “We have a renewed sense of importance to support families like ours, as we are eternally grateful for the time we got with her.“

The road hasn’t been easy for Hayden and Emma Springer but the two have always remained by each other’s sides through thick and thin!