Hadwin goes bogey-free to move up in Phoenix

Bob Weeks

TSN Senior Reporter

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Through two rounds of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Adam Hadwin has hit 17 fairways, 27 greens and no cacti. It’s put him up near the top of the leaderboard and in solid position heading into the weekend.

Despite the good play that had him finishing up his round in a tie for first, the Canadian was asked in his post-round media gathering which swing errors would cause a player to drive a ball into one of two cacti sitting just off the first tee. The two-needled succulents are pockmarked with scores of golf ball-sized holes from players less skilled than those competing this week at the PGA Tour event.

“Probably not something that I want to be thinking about right now going into the weekend at 8-under,” chuckled Hadwin, who looked very solid so far.

In fact, he’s played his last 32 holes without making a bogey. He fired a three-under 68 in the second round and his last bogey came on the fourth hole on Thursday. Although his second round was bogey-free on the scorecard, it wasn’t as solid from a ball-striking standpoint.

“I did a really good job of managing the golf ball around the golf course,” he said. “I didn't hit nearly as well as I did yesterday. I just wasn't confident in what I was doing, to be honest.”

Hadwin worked his way around the course despite only finding six of 14 fairways. He did convert that into reaching 13 of 18 greens and putted well, putting up a mark of 2.142 strokes gained on the field.

Yet what stood out to the Abbotsford, B.C., product was just how he managed his game when he wasn’t sharp.

“I struck it really well yesterday, didn't make a whole lot until the back nine,” said Hadwin of his five-under back side on Thursday. “I just didn't hit it as well today. I still hit a bunch of greens, but I was putting from 30, 40 feet all day. So, I just need to just go to the range, hit a few balls. It's not going to take much, just to get a feel back for where that club face is at the bottom, and big thing is just to go out there and trust the golf swing. I know it's there, it's just a matter of doing it.”

While the 34-year-old has only missed two cuts in 10 starts this season, he hasn’t really threatened in any event. He has just a single top-10 finish, that coming in October at the Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas.

His game did show some signs of life last week when he ended up tied for 16th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Hadwin decided to embark on some swing changes just over a year ago, parting ways with long-time coach Ralph Bauer and working with new instructor Mark Blackburn.

The changes were intended to make his game more consistent, especially with his irons. It’s taken some time to grove them into his game comfortably, but it appears to be solidifying. He is currently inside the top 50 in five of the top six Strokes Gained categories, including sitting 32nd in Strokes Gained: Total, which measures the overall performance of his game against the field.

Where he is lacking is off the tee, where he is ranked 151st.

“It's massive,” said Hadwin of his swing improvements. “My short game was solid. Drove it in the water on 17, got up-and-down for par. Doing things like that go a long way. I didn't shoot myself out of the tournament. I could have easily done that today. Shooting even, 1-over, I would have needed two really good rounds to get back into it after that, so get in 3-under, I'm in a good spot.”

This week is, in part, a home game for Hadwin, who lives in the Phoenix area in the winter. Sleeping in his own bed has its benefits, and knowing the golf course, which he estimated he’s played at least a hundred times, also comes with benefits – although not as many as some might think due to super-charging the course for the PGA Tour players.

“I've had a lot of different putts around this place, and they can be tricky to read,” he said. “I think I've got a pretty good feel for what they do and how they roll, but, yeah, I mean it plays so much firmer and faster than we normally get to see it, so some of the lines off the tee and some of the clubs [are different]. Normally, No. 1 is just a driver all day, never going to run out, and now you're running out with a 3-wood. It's a very familiar golf course, though which is nice.”

If Hadwin continues to play as he has for the first half of the tournament, he could be in the mix for Sunday and the cacti should be safe.