Hadwin increases lead at Valspar
B.C.-based player four shots up as he goes for PGA win
PALM HARBOR, Florida — B.C.’s Adam Hadwin only wants a chance to win when he tees it up on the PGA Tour. He’s never had a chance like the one he has today.
Birdie putts from 35 feet and 55 feet on the back nine at the Valspar Championship Saturday stretched his lead to four shots. Equally important to him was the slick, bending six-foot par putt on the final hole.
“Three shots is much easier to come back from than four shots is,” Hadwin said after a clean card of 4-under 67. “That extra shot could be everything. That was a big putt for me, I think, mentally going into [today].”
Hadwin, 29, who was born in Moose Jaw, Sask., and lives in Abbotsford, overcame a bout of nerves on the practice range with a flawless day in a strong, warm breeze on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook. His six-foot par putt made it 31 straight holes without a bogey, put him at 14under 199 and gave him the fourshot lead over Patrick Cantlay.
It was the third time in the last four PGA Tour events the 54-hole leader was up by at least four shots, and all of them won comfortably — Jordan Spieth at Pebble Beach, Dustin Johnson at Riviera and Rickie Fowler at PGA National.
More than a big lead, there is not a lot of experience chasing Hadwin. Of the three players within six shots of him, only Jim Herman has won on the PGA Tour. Herman won the Shell Houston Open last year for his first victory. He had a 71 playing in the final group and fell five shots behind. PGA Tour rookie Dominic Bozzelli had a 70 and was at 8-under 205.
Hadwin also had a 54-hole lead in the CareerBuilder Challenge when he shot 59 in the third round. He closed with a 70 and was runner-up to Hudson Swafford. He started that final round with a one-shot lead over Bozzelli.
Four shots is a lot bigger than one, though Hadwin said it could work both ways. He knows enough about Innisbrook to realize it can disappear quickly.
“But the other side of things is that guys are going to have to shoot a good score to catch you,” he said. “To go bogey-free today, I mean, I’d love to do that again [today]. I think somebody would have to play an extremely good round of golf to catch me. Make some pars and make guys come and get you.”
British Open champion Henrik Stenson never made a move and struggled again getting his distance right in the wind, allowing for only a few reasonable birdie chances. He had another 71 and was seven shots behind, along with J.J. Henry (67).
David Hearn (68) of Brantford, Ont., was tied for 18th at 3 under, Graham DeLaet (72) of Weyburn, Sask., was 49th at 1 over and Nick Taylor (73) of Abbotsford was tied for 54th at 2 over.
For Hadwin, life has never been better. It was at Innisbrook a year ago that he broke his 7-iron against a tree in anger, a starting point to learn how to smile more and worry less about golf, which he believes has led to better scores. Plus, he’s getting married in two weeks.
A victory, perhaps even second place alone, might be enough to get Hadwin into the Dell Match Play. He won’t be going either way because his wedding is on Friday (March 26) of that week.
A victory would get him into the Masters. In that case, the honeymoon might be postponed.
For now, he’s only thinking about playing good golf today and forcing everyone to catch him on the toughest track in Florida.