The famous par-3 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass can intimidate even the most seasoned PGA TOUR veterans. When PGA TOUR pro A.J. Ewart arrived at the tee for the first time this past March, he admitted to feeling the nerves too.
“I could have sworn that they shrunk that green,” the 27-year-old Canadian laughed, thinking back to his debut appearance at The Players Championship. “It was a real challenge, but just to be competing amongst those guys in that environment was kind of the big ‘Welcome to the Tour’ moment.”
The marquee event in March was one of many enjoyable experiences for Ewart, who recently finished his first full regular season on the PGA TOUR. But like most instances throughout his rookie campaign when the challenges and stakes were turned up, Ewart was unfazed. He proudly points to his clean wedge shots safely landing onto the island green in each of the tournament’s opening rounds as proof.
More than the individual moments, though, the experience of playing alongside the best players in the world has changed Ewart’s perspective on his own game. In 21 starts, the native of Coquitlam, B.C., captured six top 25 finishes among his 15 cuts made.
“Obviously very proud, but I feel like this year has made me even hungrier for more,” Ewart said.
That hunger has been one of the defining themes following his freshman year on Tour.
Competing in event after event at the highest level – also twice competing in six consecutive weeks – has exposed Ewart to a standard of golf he had previously only watched from afar and is motivated to reach. Compiling more complete four-round performances and gaining strength off the tee are areas of opportunity following his 105th place finish in the FedEx Cup, which left him outside of the post-season. He’s since spent the past few weeks beginning to examine every part of his own game.
“Playing on the PGA TOUR has changed my golf game in so many different ways,” he said. “I’ve improved in every aspect of my game mentally and physically, but I think just playing at the highest level, competing against the best guys in the world and playing on world-class golf courses in a tough setup will benefit you in so many different ways.”
For a player making his first full run at the PGA TOUR, the learning curve can be steep but Derek Ingram, head coach of Team Canada’s Men’s team, believes Ewart’s best golf is still ahead of him.
“He looks like a PGA TOUR player, he acts like a PGA TOUR player and he’s going to be a really good one,” said Ingram. “I feel like he’s still getting better, and we have high expectations for him because we know he can achieve them.”
One event Ewart hopes to experience future success at is the one on home soil – the RBC Canadian Open.
“For me, it’s my favourite event of the year,” said Ewart, who’s teed it up three times in his National Open. “Stepping into the Rink at the RBC Canadian Open is really cool, and the crowd support from the Canadian fans is unbelievable.”
That first appearance came before Ewart was a full-time member of the PGA TOUR. Since then, he has put together strong campaigns on PGA TOUR Americas and won 2025 PGA TOUR Q-School. Now, he has a different perspective and a different level of expectation.
Ewart will be motivated this fall to improve his status for 2027, where he will compete in seven of eight Fall Series events. Getting inside the top 100 ensures his playing privileges for 2027, and a return trip to the Players Championship.
His rookie season gave him a taste of the biggest stages in golf, from the pressure of the island green at TPC Sawgrass to the atmosphere of the RBC Canadian Open. It has shown him that he can compete at the highest level — and, perhaps more importantly, shown him how much further he wants to go.
