Two penalty strokes not only cost Adam Hadwin par on the second hole of the Korn Ferry Tour Championship, but could ultimately cost him the coveted PGA Tour Card for 2027. A bitter pill for the 38-year-old Canadian, who needs a win right here, at the season finale, to reclaim his spot on the big tour.
A Relief Faux Pas with Far-Reaching Consequences
The faux pas occurred on Thursday on the par-3 hole. Under preferred lies, relief was limited to "one scorecard length." Hadwin, however, took a full club-length as relief. Only when he later saw a competitor correctly take the shorter relief did he realize his mistake. As an honest golfer, he immediately reported the infraction to rules official Adam Helmer. The consequence: A solid par turned into a double bogey, and the round ended with a 1-under 70, which could have looked much better.
Tough break for Adam Hadwin yesterday at KFT Championship. Hadwin needs a win to earn his PGA Tour card for 2027, but he was penalized two strokes for playing from the wrong place – he took a club-length of relief instead of scorecard length. He's playing well today, though,
Auf X weiterlesenFighting Spirit on the Green
However, on Friday, Hadwin showed fighting spirit: He delivered a stellar round and was already five under par after ten holes. Without the foolish penalty, he would have been tied for the lead at that point. Now he has to work twice as hard to make up for the lost strokes and secure one of the seven remaining PGA Tour Cards. The tournament at The Federal Club in Glen Allen, Virginia, is turning into a nail-biter for Hadwin, whose tour future is on the line.
