Chesson Hadley needed something special to earn his PGA Tour card for the next season. After starting the Wyndham Championship 132nd in FedExCup points, he tied for 51 to three rounds at Sedgefield.
He started on the second nine and screwed three of his first four holes before moving on made a bogey on the 14th par-4. He recovered with a birdie at number 15 and then recorded the first hole-in-one of his life at number 16 with par-3.
Chesson Hadley punched a 9-iron from 160 yards on par-3 16. for his first hole-in-one career on the PGA Tour.
Hadley turned 6-under 29 and added two more birdies – no bogeys – for an 8-under 62. That put him under 12 for the tournament and forecast 126th in the FEC rating.
He had to wait and see if he’d done enough to secure his ticket for the next season. But he talked first.
In an emotional post-round interview with CBS Sports, Hadley choked on trying to discuss what this round meant to him.
« It just feels good when something good happens « He said, pausing repeatedly to regain his composure. « I’m not out here just for fun. It’s my job and I love it. »
Only two months ago Hadley had the chance to secure his status for the next few years in the Palmetto Championship. As a 54-hole four-stroke leader, he was in position for his first Tour win since his first title in 2014, but he lost his last three holes with one. « I hate the word choked, » said Hadley then. « That’s not the right word because it’s a very negative word, but I didn’t handle it the way I should have handled it. »
He did things brilliantly that Sunday, but he always needed still help to get into the playoffs and get the 2021-22 ticket. And he got it from an unusual source.
Justin Rose, a former FEC champion, fought for the Wyndham title for much of the final lap until he got a bogey on the 14th and a bogey on the 18th made three putts.
He finished 13 under par, one shot better than Hadley. But Rose started the week 138th in points and the end result was Hadley knocked out former world number 1 by one point.
It was the first time in Rose’s career that he missed the playoffs despite playing for the next season is still completely excluded.
Hadley was one of three players who jumped into the top 125 in the points classification. Roger Sloan, who was part of a six-man playoff, started in 131st place and moved in slightly. Scott Piercy shared 15th place with Hadley, going from 126th to 116th.
Of course, that meant three players had to be out and all three missed the cut this week: Bo Hoag, 125th to 129th .; Patrick Rodgers, 123rd to 128th; Ryan Armor, 122nd to 127th ..
None of the three have already been exempted for the following season and will have at least conditional status and a trip to the Korn Ferry Tour Final Series, where 25 PGA Tour tickets will be offered.
BY Max Schreiber
BY Ryan Lavner
FROM Golf Channel Digital
Chesson Hadley punched a 9-iron from 160 yards on par-3 16 for his first hole-in-one career on the PGA Tour.
Sebastian Munoz splits after Day 1 of the John Deere Classic took the lead with Chesson Hadley when half of the field cracked 70 points.
Dustin Johnson was one hole ahead on Friday but made a double bogey to drop Chesson Hadley twice.
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