Former PNGA Player of the Year Adam Svensson wins on PGA TOUR
In his 70th start on the PGA TOUR, Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. won his first tournament, shooting scores of 73-64-62-64 to win the RSM Classic at St. Simons Island, Georgia.
“To be honest, it’s not even real right now,” an emotional Svensson said after the final round. “I just put so much work in, and to win on the PGA TOUR means everything to me.”
Svensson started today’s final round in second place, one shot back of Patrick Rogers and Ben Martin.
“I wasn’t watching the scoreboard until about the 16th hole,” Svensson said. “I just tried to make no bogeys coming in. That’s what I did, and it’s just unbelievable.” Svensson did better than making no bogeys coming – he birdied holes 16 and 17, and finished two shots ahead of Callum Tarren, Sahith Theegala and Brian Harman, who all tied for second.
Watch the highlights of Svensson’s final round.
The now 28-year-old Svensson had been named the PNGA Men’s Player of the Year in 2014, and the 2012 PNGA Junior Boys’ Player of the Year.
This is Svensson’s second full season on the PGA TOUR, and he’s making the most of it. He had qualified for the tour for the 2018-2019 season, but did not earn enough money to keep his card. So he went to the Korn Ferry Tour, the feeder circuit for the PGA TOUR, where he won three times and was exempted onto this year’s PGA TOUR by finishing in the top 50 on the Korn Ferry Tour money list.
He turned pro in 2015, and it has been a long journey to the PGA TOUR winner’s circle. “Two years ago I made a decision to make a re-commitment to my game,” he said. “There was no going back (to the Korn Ferry Tour), so it was going forward or I was quitting. Going back was going the wrong way. It was a good choice.”
He’s been making the most of this second chance on the big tour. He had three top-10 finishes early in the season, then cooled off, before closing the deal with this week’s breakthrough win.
The PGA TOUR now takes a six-week break in the final wraparound season before resuming with the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua the first week of January. By winning, Svensson was the last man to qualify for that field, which is open only to PGA TOUR winners, the first elevated event that will have a $15 million purse.
Dreams do come true ❤️
An emotional interview with @AdamSvensson59 after winning @TheRSMClassic. pic.twitter.com/QZrSVZKMBn
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 20, 2022