Get ready for an intense Sunday finale at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship! Six golfers are within striking distance of the lead, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Adam Schenk and Braden Thornberry lead the pack, but Takumi Kanaya, Max McGreevy, Chandler Phillips, and Adam Hadwin are hot on their tails. With their TOUR cards and first-time wins on the line, these players will give it their all. Join us as we break down their journeys, from swing changes to injuries, and how they’ve reached this pivotal moment. Don’t miss this thrilling battle for the trophy!
The pressure is on. Six golfers are locked in a nail-biting battle at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. All within a single shot of the lead heading into Sunday’s final round. This isn’t just any tournament. It’s a fight for their PGA Tour cards and a shot at glory. Five of these players are hungry for their first ever win. Adam Shank and Braden Thornberry are tied at the top, sitting pretty at 12 under par. Hot on their heels are Tkumi Kaya, Max McGrevy, Chandler Phillips, and the 36-hole leader Adam Hadwin. Just a single stroke behind at 11 under. But here’s where it gets interesting. Hadwin is the only player in this tight group who’s already tasted victory on the tour. The stakes are incredibly high, especially for those trying to secure their place in the FedEx Cup standings. McGrevy is currently at number 100 teetering on the edge of the bubble while Thornberry at number 178, Shanka number 134, Cana number 120, Hadwin number 147, and Philips a number 139 are all on the outside looking in. Cana had an impressive round on Saturday shooting a five under 66 despite challenging conditions. He’s had a handful of impressive finishes this season, including two top five spots and eight wins on the Japan Golf Tour. This isn’t an ideal situation for Kaya or any of the other players, and their current positions are a result of their own journeys. Whether it’s been swing changes, returns from injuries, or a string of less than stellar performances, they find themselves in a high pressure situation. Shank, for example, is seeking his first tour win in his 243rd start despite having held the 54 hole lead or co-lead five times. He knows what’s on the line. A great opportunity to have for tomorrow, Shank said. I know if I don’t, I have to go to Q school if I don’t get inside the top 100. So, that’s a pretty big motivator. And what a great opportunity to have tomorrow. Shank has shown recent improvement, making the weekend in four straight PGA tour starts after a tough summer. He’s been working hard on his game. I’ve been working pretty darn hard at it the last four months well the last two years, but not a lot of results, he said. I wish I really could have done this earlier in the season because I wouldn’t be in this position, but here we are. Thornberry, a former college standout, has had a fascinating journey to the tour. He won the NCAA DI men’s golf championship for Olay Miss in 2017. I was able to win a bunch in college, but I don’t know if I’d forgotten it or what, but it had been a while, maybe three or four years, Thornberry, who won the Cornferry Tour Championship last year, said, “Hopefully with that recent stuff at the end of last year. Hopefully, I can carry it over.” And this is the part most people miss. The final round in Bermuda will be affected by high winds leading to earlier tea times. This means less time for the players to overthink their strategies. Shank is embracing the challenge. I’ll be really excited for tomorrow, he said. I’ll still sleep well. It’s tiring after today. So, I’ll still sleep well. I’ll definitely be I don’t want to call it nervous, more excited than anything for tomorrow just to have the opportunity and find out what’s going to happen for whoever emerges. is victorious. And for those battling at the top, a life-changing opportunity awaits. What do you think? Will experience or youthful ambition prevail? Let me know your predictions in the comments.
