Adam Hadwin opened the U.S. Open with a round to remember, but closed with a day to forget Sunday, at Wisconsin’s Erin Hills golf course.
On Thursday, the 29-year-old Abbotsford golfer, who lists South Surrey’s Morgan Creek Golf Course as his home course, put forth one of his more spectacular rounds of the year, shooting a four-under par score of 68, which was highlighted by six consecutive birdies, which ties a U.S. Open record.
Hadwin had a more difficult second round on Friday, shooting a two-over par 74, but his two-round total was still enough for him to make the cut and qualify for the final two rounds of play.
After being within striking distance of the leaders earlier in the tournament, Saturday’s round – a three-over par 75 – knocked him back into the back, and Sunday, the trend continued with an eight-over 80.
The U.S. Open was won by Brooks Koepka, who carded a four-round score of 16-under par.
While his weekend rounds were not to his liking, Hadwin still kept his sense of humour. Responding to critics of Erin Hills – who said, after numerous low scores were posted Thursday, that the course wasn’t difficult enough – Hadwin took to Twitter: “For all of those ppl that thought this course was too easy, turn your tvs on.”
Despite his final four-round score of nine over-par, Sunday’s final round was not without at least one memorable moment for Hadwin, who was the lone Canadian to make the cut after Friday’s second round.
At the third hole Sunday, Hadwin was serenaded by a handful of boisterious Canadian fans, who broke out into an off-key rendition of O Canada to honour the golfer.
This is amazing. Volume ⬆️ to hear some Canadian fans serenade @ahadwingolf with 'Oh Canada' at the U.S. Open pic.twitter.com/rgUq1cRfhN
— Adam Stanley (@adam_stanley) June 18, 2017
“It was a tough day, but things like this will always make you smile. Love the support I get every week,” Hadwin said in response to the impromptu anthem.
This year on the PGA Tour has been a great one overall for Hadwin.
In January, he joined an elite group of only eight other golfers to record a sub-60 round – he shot a 13-under 59 at the CareerBuilder Challenge in La Quinta, Calif. – and in March, he notched his first-ever PGA victory, placing first at the Valspar Championship in Florida.
The victory drew praise from across the Canadian sports world, and even included a congratulatory message from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.