Jul 2, 2020
Hadwin on target in first round in Detroit
Adam Hadwin opened the tournament with a strong showing, rolling in six birdies for a five-under round that left him just two shots off the lead. As he did in his first two starts, his ball striking was the key to his play, Bob Weeks writes.
By Bob Weeks
In this time of the pandemic, being adventurous has its limits. For Adam Hadwin this week, it’s likely to be a five-minute stroll in downtown Detroit to the edge of the river that separates the United States from Canada.
"At least I can look out and wave at my country," he said from the Michigan city that’s holding the Rocket Mortgage Classic, this week’s PGA Tour event.
Hadwin opened the tournament with a strong showing, rolling in six birdies for a five-under round that left him just two shots off the lead. As he did in his first two starts, his ball striking was the key to his play. The Abbotsford, B.C., product missed just one fairway, coming on his final hole where it led to the lone bogey on his card. He also landed on 16 of the 18 greens, giving himself a lot of great opportunities on his day.
"It’s really a continuation of where I was the first two weeks," Hadwin stated. "Now I just have to continue to do it for four rounds."
He tied for 43rd at the Charles Schwab Challenge and ended up in a tie for the 41st spot a week later at the RBC Heritage. In both cases, he had some good rounds but also let a few slip away, perhaps understandable after coming off a three-month layoff.
While Hadwin is working on improvements to his game, he’s also getting used to the new normal of tour life. As each week goes by, the tour is working harder to keep all involved inside the bubble it’s created.
That means a lot of time in the hotel room where emotions can range from dreariness to loneliness. Even if his dinner selections are limited and he’s wearing out the remote control, the protocols have only brought minor inconveniences to his life. Those include arriving a half-day earlier than usual to get his testing out of the way so he can get out to the course and eating all his meals in his room. He’s also donning a mask when he’s not playing golf or in his hotel room.
"The tour is really trying to hammer home the importance of wearing masks," he stated, "and really it’s good for us to do it anyway."
He noticed a lot more players wearing masks this week compared to a few weeks ago, but also pointed out that Michigan has state-wide order to don the protection, which may have led to the increase.
Hadwin also praised the tour for its work in keeping things safe. With no community spread and only a small number of positive tests, the system and its regular adjustments seem to be working.
Hadwin’s game is also working and he’d like nothing more than to extend his fine play from Thursday for the next three days.