Hadwin brothers unite to tee it up for Crohn’s charity benefit
Bond between PGA Tour golfer Adam and his sibling goes beyond the sport
The Hadwin brothers, Adam and Kyle, share a bond that dates back to their days growing up in Abbotsford.
Now, over time, their respective careers have resulted in an obvious geographical distance between them, with Adam living full time in Arizona when not on the road and Kyle residing in the Calgary area. But it can be just like old times when they get together. “We still are quite close. We still chat quite a bit and when we do see each other, it’s like we haven’t been apart,” said Kyle.
The brothers were once again brought together on a rainy Friday morning, arriving early to Surrey’s pristine Morgan Creek Golf Course for the Adam Hadwin Charity Classic — an event that, according to the PGA Tour player’s personal website, raised about $135,000 last year for the Children with Intestinal and Liver Disorders Foundation (C.H.I.L.D.).
It’s an event that holds a special place in the hearts of the Hadwin family.
Kyle was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a gastrointestinal disorder that affects one in 150 Canadians, according to Crohn’s and Colitis Canada. A recent article on the PGA Tour website listed the total amount raised from the Hadwin charity event at $650,000 since it began almost 10 years ago.
“You want to come out and top (the amount raised) last year,” said Hadwin.
“If you can keep growing each and every year, that’s a great goal to have. Last year was incredible. We raised a ton of money. We always enjoy the day, it’s a great tournament and the committee does a great job of putting everything together.”
Hadwin’s golf career has ascended over the years. Obtaining his PGA Tour card was a remarkable achievement on its own, and the result of working his way up from the college ranks, to the local Vancouver Golf Tour, to the Canadian Tour and then to the Web. com Tour. A glamorous road, it is not, but Hadwin had shown star potential for years before joining the PGA Tour full time in the fall of 2014.
This year, however, Adam has taken even greater steps with his first PGA Tour win, five top-10 finishes, appearances in all four major championships and, most recently, a spot earned on the International Team for the upcoming Presidents Cup.
A week off in the PGA Tour’s playoff schedule allowed Hadwin to return to the Lower Mainland for Friday’s tournament.
Not only will he have to quickly re-focus on the remaining two competitions of the FedEx Cup playoffs — which resume next week at the BMW Championship — but the preparations for the Presidents Cup will soon begin as International players look to build a continuity with each other in hopes of avenging a loss to the United States in 2015.
It will be a new experience for Hadwin, but one that he’s thought about more and more as this season has progressed, and the prospect of making the team by way of a top10 position among international players in the World Golf Rankings became closer to a reality.
“I guess you can think about it and wonder, but you’re never going to know until you’re in that situation,” said Hadwin. “The Presidents Cup for us is our event, it’s our opportunity. I know all the international guys get really pumped for it.
“We’re trying to get a victory back to the International team. It’s been a while and we’ve got a strong squad ... so I’m really looking forward to it.”
Kyle will be unable to attend the Presidents Cup when it begins Sept. 26 at Liberty National Golf Club because of his work schedule. Over the years, however, he’s become a source of inspiration to his older brother.
At perhaps no other time was that more evident than during the 2011 Canadian Open at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club, when Hadwin captured the hearts of Canadians by working his way into contention entering the final round. But, as profiled by columnist Ed Willes in The Province, he couldn’t wait to speak to brother Kyle after he spent the Saturday in hospital.
“I think it was difficult on our family to watch him go through it,” said Hadwin. “He’s come through it stronger. He’s the guy that never complains when something goes wrong and certainly that puts life into perspective when I’ve had some bad rounds.”
Kyle played golf as a junior growing up, but tees up now only about four or five times a year, he said. It’s strictly “for fun” these days.
While the Hadwin family has used golf as a way to raise funds and awareness for C.H.I.L.D., what makes this brotherly bond special is that it isn’t always about golf. They had a typical sibling relationship as children but, according to Kyle, it was when Adam went away to university that they really became close.
Sure, Kyle has caddied for Adam before at the 2013 Canadian Open. And, he’s been known to needle his brother about the occasional missed putt. But the relationship is about much more, even if their respective paths have led them to different parts of the continent.
“I think because it’s usually not about golf that we get along so well,” said Kyle. “I am usually the first guy to tell him that he maybe missed a putt and lost some money. I do like to keep his ego down a little bit.
“Pretty much anything — cars, girlfriends, wives, relationships. We have each other to actually talk about life with.”
We’re trying to get a victory back to the International team. It’s been a while and we’ve got a strong squad.