Canadian Adam Hadwin, a two-time Presidents Cup player, moved one step closer to keeping his full PGA Tour playing privileges. He navigated his way around the tough Bay Course, posting a brilliant 6-under 65 in difficult, windy conditions on Thursday. This performance created a buzz with the opening round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. As it stands today, Hadwin still leads the field, sitting one shot ahead of Takumi Kanaya.
At 38 years old, Hadwin is starting to find himself in a difficult spot. He entered the week ranked 147th in the FedEx Cup standings. It has been an extraordinarily bad year for him. An end to his streak He’s never missed the FedEx Cup playoffs in his decade-long career on tour — until now. Hadwin’s goal remains clear: he aims to break back into the top 100 by the end of next week’s RSM Classic, where only the top competitors will secure their tour cards for the upcoming season.
Reflecting on his struggles this season, Hadwin admitted, “A bit of the shock to the ego, not gonna lie.” He acknowledged that it took him some time to accept his situation, stating, “I reached a point, though probably too late… where I kind of accepted where I was at, just needed to battle through.”
Hadwin explained that these challenges took a toll on him mentally, which contributed to a disappointing season. “It might have hindered me a little bit through the season as I continued to struggle,” he explained. Nevertheless, he remains optimistic about his potential. “I do truly believe that I’ve got my best golf still to come… It was just a matter of when I got through this and today’s a good start.”
No one knows how the Butterfield Bermuda Championship will end just yet due to darkness. Hadwin’s stellar start gives him a prime opportunity to kickstart the rest of his 2023 campaign on a more positive note. The stakes couldn’t be higher for him. He’s hell bent on proving he can get back on top of the PGA Tour’s elite players.
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