Last Friday, Adam Hadwin was back home in Abbotsford to play in the RBC Dominion Securities Pro-Am, a one-day Vancouver Golf Tour event at Ledgeview Golf and Country Club.
This week, the 24-year-old pro will participate in another RBC-sponsored tournament that he's had circled on his calender for quite some time – the Canadian Open.
The PGA Tour stop, which opens Thursday at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, boasts a somewhat higher profile than the local tourney, along with a bigger purse ($5.2 million compared to $10,000). It's also the event that thrust Hadwin into the national media spotlight one year ago.
At the 2011 RBC Canadian Open at Vancouver's Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club, Hadwin thrilled Canadian golf fans by contending for the title on the final day, before finishing in a tie for fourth. He's hoping to channel some of those good vibes this week.
"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "It's an event that's been circled on my calendar for the last couple years, and it's an event that gets the juices flowing no matter how poorly or how well you're playing up to that point. You just get re-energized."
Hadwin tied for fifth at Ledgeview last Friday, carding a four-under 66 to earn $716.67. Richmond native Matt Daniel took home the $2,000 first prize after firing a scorching 62, three strokes better than runners-up Ryan Williams, Bryn Parry and Shane Prante.
Hadwin, a regular on the Web.com Tour this season, said the Ledgeview event was a last-minute addition to his schedule.
"If it was anywhere else, I probably wouldn't have gone and played, but it's just a quick five-minute drive up the hill from my house," said Hadwin, who is 55th on the Web.com Tour order of merit. "It's always fun to come back and play this golf course."
TAYLOR GRANTED EXEMPTION
Hadwin will have company at the Canadian Open. Fellow Abbotsford pro Nick Taylor was granted an exemption on Monday morning and will join him in the field.
Taylor, who sits ninth on the Canadian Tour order of merit, also played at Ledgeview last Friday, shooting a 73.
RAISING MONEY FOR C.H.I.L.D.
Last Thursday, Hadwin and his brother Kyle were at Ledgeview to accept a cheque on behalf of the C.H.I.L.D. Foundation from organizers of the Ledgeview Ladies Amateur. That event generated $1,510 for the charity, which raises funds to find a cure for inflammatory bowel diseases.
It's a cause that's near to Hadwin's heart – Kyle has been battling Crohn's disease.
"Everybody knows about cancer and stroke research and all that kind of stuff, but the bowel disorders kind of get pushed to the side because they're not as life-threatening," he said. "But seeing the stuff my brother has gone through . . . it's a debilitating disease, and you live with it your whole life. Just to get that awareness out is great."
Hadwin is hosting a charity tournament on Sept. 10 at Morgan Creek Golf Course to raise money for C.H.I.L.D., and there is still room for more teams. Visit child.ca for more information.
Last Thursday, Adam Hadwin (right) and his brother Kyle accepted a cheque on behalf of the C.H.I.L.D. Foundation from Ledgeview Ladies Amateur organizers Heather Shaw and Grace Rustulka.