Adam Hadwin got off to the start he needed in his bid to retain full PGA Tour playing privileges, shooting a 6-under 65 in windy conditions on Thursday in the first round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. The round wasn’t completed due to darkness.
Hadwin entered the week at No. 147 in the FedExCup standings. That’s significant because the top 100 after next week’s RSM Classic keep their Tour cards for next year. He leads Takumi Kanaya by one shot, while Braden Thornberry sits at 5 under with two holes remaining at Port Royal.
The 38-year-old Canadian and two-time Presidents Cup player had never missed the FedExCup playoffs in a decade on Tour before this year.
“A bit of the shock to the ego, not gonna lie,” Hadwin admitted. “It might have hindered me a little bit through the season as I continued to struggle. I reached a point, though probably too late, probably July, August where I kind of accepted where I was at, just needed to battle through.”
“I do truly believe that my best golf is still to come, I’ve got a lot more in me and then I’ll be a better player once I get through this. It was just a matter of when I got through this and today’s a good start.”
What makes this week particularly interesting is that Kanaya and Thornberry also began outside the top 100, fighting for their Tour futures. Ryo Hisatsune, Alex Smalley and Isaiah Salinda each shot 67, while Frankie Capan III sits at 4 under with two holes to play.
The way I see it, Hadwin’s performance today could be the turning point he’s been looking for. His solid play in difficult conditions shows the veteran still has the game to compete at the highest level. But he’ll need to maintain this form next week at the RSM Classic to secure his card.
