Adam Schenk closed with an even-par 71 in raging wind on Sunday to hold on for a one-shot victory in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship in his 243rd start on the PGA Tour.
Schenk was two tournaments away from having to return to Q-school at No. 134 in the FedEx Cup. But then he handled some of the toughest conditions he has ever faced, making one birdie and four crucial par saves in gusts that topped 30 mph.
He gave his winning putt on the par-4 18th at Port Royal a light touch, relieved when it found the centre of the cup to hold off Chandler Phillips, who also shot 71.
“I’ve putt for PGA Tour wins so many times in my barn,” Schenk said. “To see one go in is something I’ll never forget.”
Twice a runner-up in 2023, the year he reached the Tour Championship for the first time, Schenk with the victory gets a two-year exemption at a time on the PGA Tour when having full status is critical. Only the top 100 in the FedEx Cup – down from 125 – get full status for smaller fields in 2026.
Takumi Kanaya of Japan had a chance to catch Schenk, one shot behind and playing with him in the final group. The wind was so strong out of the left that his approach ballooned and landed in a back bunker. He hit a superb shot to four feet, but his wind-affected par putt lipped out.
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Schenk was two tournaments away from having to return to Q-school before he won the title.
Kanaya, at No. 120 in the FedEx Cup, would have moved to No. 83 with a par on the final hole. The miss moved him up only to No. 99 and facing plenty more stress next week in the final event.
Phillips was at No. 139, and his runner-up finish – the best of his PGA Tour career – moved him to No. 92 and should make him safe for a card.
Schenk hit a low point when he missed six straight cuts this summer. He made some tweaks to his game, and decided to putt one-handed to help with his biggest weakness, and thought he was making decent progress without great results.
Now he has a PGA Tour victory, getting him into at least one $20 million signature event next year, along with the PGA Championship and The Players Championship.
This didn’t come easily, especially in wind so strong that the tournament moved up the tee times to avoid the worst of it.
Schenk holed nervy putts from six to eight feet on the 12th and 14th holes. He hit onto the side of a hill on the par-3 16th, the scariest par 3 at Port Royal, right up against the ocean with the wind ripping off it. He slightly lost his balance on the chip, then beautifully played to three feet for another save.
Then he missed the putt he thought he hit perfectly, the wind moving his six-foot birdie attempt on the 17th enough for it to spin out of the cup. That would have given him some breathing room. Instead, Schenk had to grind for one last par.
“I knew I could win. It’s just a matter of executing each shot and handling each situation I put myself in,” Schenk said.
“I can’t believe it’s over. It seems like the longest day ever.”
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