Hadwin leads Bermuda Championship by 1 stroke; Phillips and Thornberry stalk

Adam Hadwin leads the Butterfield Bermuda Championship

Adam Hadwin remains firm at the top of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, seeking to secure his place on the PGA Tour. The Canadian golfer completed a round of 66 strokes, five under par, at the Port Royal Golf Course, gaining a one-stroke lead at the end of Friday’s play. Hadwin, ranked 147th in the FedEx Cup standings, needs to perform well in this tournament and in next week’s RSM Classic to secure his card for next year. The 38-year-old player, with one PGA Tour victory and two Presidents Cup appearances, failed to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs for the first time in his career. With a cumulative total of 11 under par (131), Hadwin began the championship with an outstanding round of 65 strokes on Thursday.

I was in a bit more trouble than yesterday, I didn’t hit the ball as well. I was a little out of rhythm at the beginning. I didn’t have the same feeling as yesterday, but I recovered very well. The short game and putting were key today.

Adam Hadwin

Chandler Phillips (64) and Braden Thornberry (65) share second place in the standings. Max McGreevy (64) and Noah Goodwin (67) are at a total of 9 under par. Due to light conditions, six players were unable to complete their round. McGreevy faced the most challenging wind conditions, playing at the end of Thursday and the beginning of Friday.

I’m from Oklahoma and I’ve seen a lot of wind in my life, I’ve had good and bad experiences. You have to adapt.

Max McGreevy

Despite wind gusts that reached 26 mph, Hadwin recovered from a double bogey on the 13th hole (par 3), with an eagle on the 6th hole (par 4).

I thought about getting within 50 or 60 yards of the green and leaving the ball close to the hole. I was lucky that it came out perfectly, but I did exactly what I wanted.

Adam Hadwin

This is Hadwin’s 299th PGA Tour start. His only PGA Tour victory was at the 2017 Valspar Championship. Tyler Watts, a Huntsville, Alabama high school senior, tied for 35th at 2-under after a round of 69. Watts, who will play for Tennessee, tied for 53rd at the Procore Championship in his only other tour appearance. He earned a spot in this week’s tournament thanks to a sponsor exemption as the top player at the Men’s Elite Amateur Cup.