After 70 begins and a visit again to the Korn Ferry Tour, Adam Svensson is formally a winner on the PGA Tour. Emerging from a crowded leaderboard on the 2022 RSM Classic, the Canadian staked his declare on the final occasion of the calendar yr with a flawless final round of 6-under 64 to get the higher of Sahith Theegala, Brian Harman and Callum Tarren by two strokes.
“It’s not even real right now. I’m just so happy. I’ve just put so much work in and to win on the PGA Tour means everything to me,” Svensson mentioned whereas trying to carry again tears. “It’s been an up-and-down journey. I’ve had lows, I’ve had highs, but I just kept believing in myself and here I am.”
Svensson was considered one of many gamers to carry a share of the lead Sunday at Sea Island as a complete of 16 gamers entered the final day inside three strokes of the lead. Making only one birdie in his opening seven holes, it wasn’t till the center of his round when the 28-year-old started to warmth up in the chilly Georgia climate.
Adding three birdies in a four-hole stretch from holes Nos. 8-11, Svensson reached 17 beneath and matched the clubhouse lead set by Tarren. Unable to make the most of the gettable par-5 fifteenth, Svensson rapidly made amends with back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17 to separate himself from Theegala and Harman who had been surging in the group forward.
“I just tried to make no bogeys today. I didn’t even look at the scoreboard until 16. I just said if I make no bogeys, I am putting well, so that’s kind of what I did,” mentioned Svensson. “I was actually feeling pretty good over them [the birdie putts on Nos. 16 and 17]. The one on 17 I didn’t think was going to go in and somehow the golf gods let in.”
Finishing the event at 19 beneath, Svensson utilized a crimson sizzling weekend efficiency to assert his first title on the PGA Tour. Carding 13 birdies and an eagle towards only one bogey over his final 36 holes, the 28-year-old will now reap the advantages that include a visit to the winner’s circle.
Ascending to sixth in the FedEx Cup standings, Svensson may even obtain invites into the Tournament of Champions, Players Championship, Masters and PGA Championship. For a participant but to compete in a significant championship, merely put, this triumph is profession altering.
“Two years ago I made a decision to give it 100%,” Svensson mentioned. “There was no going back, I was quitting because I was going the wrong way. I’d say it was a good choice.” Grade: A+
Here is a breakdown of the remainder of the leaderboard on the 2022 RSM Classic
T2. Sahith Theegala (-17): It was all organising for Theegala’s breakthrough as he was a member of the penultimate group and thus averted the final round stress of citing the rear. Getting off to a stable begin, the 24-year-old will look again to a double bogey on the par-5 seventh as his eventual downfall. Fighting again with 4 birdies on his again 9, Theegala shared the lead at one level earlier than finally falling two strokes in need of Svensson. Grade: A
T5. Cole Hammer (-15): The former standout at Texas had a tough begin to his skilled profession. Narrowly lacking out on conditional standing on the Korn Ferry Tour, Hammer was enjoying with home cash this week as he gained entry into the event by means of a sponsor’s exemption. He took full benefit of the chance and picked up the first of what must be many top-10 finishes. For his efforts, Hammer can have a spot to play to start subsequent yr as he’s now firmly in the sphere for the Sony Open.
“Pretty darn content with what happened out there,” Hammer mentioned. “Yesterday I had a tough start, but fought back. Missed a few putts coming down the stretch, but gave myself a chance. Was only four back going into today, the leaderboard was jam packed and knew a good round would go a long way in some tough conditions. I’m just so proud of the way that I fought and battled out there. It gives me a lot of confidence moving forward and leaves a great taste in my mouth going to the offseason.” Grade: A
T5. Joel Dahmen (-15): The 2022-23 season marks the final marketing campaign Dahmen can be absolutely exempt on the PGA Tour for his victory on the 2021 Corales Championship. With added motivation and stress to play effectively, Dahmen did simply that all through the whole lot of the swing season. With his T5 end result on the RSM Classic, he ended his fall with three straight top-10 finishes and inside the highest 20 of the FedEx Cup standings.
“I was already in a pretty good position, I was way ahead of the game, I guess, but to gather more points today was huge,” Dahmen mentioned. “You never want to take weeks off because you always feel like you’re falling behind, but with the good finish today it will be easier to take time off.” Grade: A
T5. Seamus Power (-15): It shouldn’t be Rory McIlroy, however quite Power who will enter 2023 atop the FedEx Cup standings. Winning the Bermuda Championship and including shut calls at Mayakoba and now Sea Island, the Irishman put himself squarely on the radar of captain Luke Donald for the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome whereas rising to the highest of the PGA Tour season-long race. Impressive as it might be, shifting ahead it will likely be attention-grabbing to see if Power can start to contend in elevated occasions the place the competitors is far steeper. Grade: A-