The Loop
A cancelled honeymoon, Arnie honored, and kids do the damnedest things: 5 things you need to know from the weekend
Sam Greenwood
Welcome to the Dew Sweeper, your one-stop shop to catch up on the weekend action from the golf world. From the professional tours, trending news, social media headlines and upcoming events, here's every golf-related thing you need to know for the morning of March 13th.
Hadwin happily cancels honeymoon
Adam Hadwin is getting married this week, with a honeymoon set for the first week of April. Though the 29-year-old still plans on tying the knot, the ensuing vacation needs to be rescheduled, as Hadwin now has business to attend to at Augusta National thanks to his win at the Valspar Championship.
It was far from a Sunday stroll for Hadwin, who made waves earlier this year with a 59 at the CareerBuilder Challenge. Entering the day with a four-shot advantage, Hadwin's lead was challenged by Patrick Cantlay, who recorded four birdies in a five-hole stretch. When Hadwin double-bogeyed the 16th, the tourney was tied with two holes remaining. However, after trading pars on No. 17, Cantlay bogeyed the final hole, giving Hadwin the victory.
“A huge sigh of relief is the biggest thing," said Hadwin afterwards. "I didn’t knock myself out of the tournament at 16, but made it a lot closer than I was liking it to be. Luckily I had a tap-in on 18. I didn’t know if I would have made it if it was much farther.”
The win earned an invite to the Masters, forcing Hadwin and his bride-to-be to nix a trip to French Polynesia. But, as golf fans can attest, a more romantic backdrop than Augusta National, there is not.
Sam Greenwood
Cantlay's comeback
Cantlay saw his share of press in February at Pebble Beach, but his story is worth retelling. A former "can't miss" prospect who once shot 60 at the Travelers Championship as an amateur, Cantaly's professional career was sidetracked in 2013 by injury and tragedy. Playing on a medical exemption, Cantlay was this close to a Masters bid before a wayward approach on the 18th gave the tournament -- and Augusta entry -- to Hadwin. Although he was visibly frustrated with the finish, Cantlay was able to secure his tour card for the rest of the season as a result of the $680,400 that accompanied his runner-up finish at Innisbrook Resort.
“It’s the one positive for this week,” Cantlay said on Sunday evening.
While the UCLA product is understandably disappointed, his comeback -- one many questioned would ever happen -- has not only begun, but starting to show light at the end of the tunnel.
Arnie gets honored with statue, street
The PGA Tour rolls into Bay Hill for the first time since Arnold Palmer's passing. Though an unfortunate part of the narrative involves the players not there, the heart of the event remains a celebration of the King. And nothing honors royalty like a statue.
On Saturday Bay Hill unveiled a14-foot tall, 1,400-pound bronze sculpture of Palmer, similar to a figure at his alma mater Wake Forest:
This coincided with the Florida Senate ratifying a notion to name part of State Road 408 "Arnold Palmer Expressway" in Orlando. The Arnold Palmer Invitational won't feel the same without the King in attendance. But, as the build-up festivities are proving, his spirit, persona and soul are indelibly etched into the game.
No place like home
The Hero Indian Open is not a prestigious competition on the European Tour, although SSP Chawrasia would kindly differ. The Kolkata native won his national championship by seven shots over Gavin Green at DLF Golf and Country Club for his 16th professional win. Chawrasia clearly enjoys the tournament; not only did he successfully defend his 2016 victory, but the 38-year-old has four runner-up finishes at the event. It was his fourth European Tour win, all which have come in India.
Henrik Stenson: Seventh on the scoreboard, No. 1 in your heart
The 2016 Open champion started strong at the Copperhead Course with a Thursday 64, ultimately logging a top-10 finish at the Valspar Championship. But it was Stenson's parenting, not play, that did the talking at Innisbrook:
The sequence emitted "awwws" from even the coldest of cynics. Although the Stensons should consider themselves lucky the incident didn't happen at Augusta National, or else they may have never seen their daughter again.