THE RECAP: Tucson, Arizona’s Jonathan Khan shot a 7-under 65 on Tuesday at Carlton Oaks Country Club to take the first round lead at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s USA West #1 Q-School on Friday. The 28-year old carded 7 birdies and was without a bogey to lead by one over Plano, Texas’ Craig McCoy, Thousand Oaks, California’s Chris Gilman and Fort Worth, Texas’ Nathaniel James.

“I’m ecstatic,” said Khan. “I know last year the scores were pretty high, so it was a good start. The greens are so good, if you’re putting well you can make some putts.”

McCoy, who like Khan played the Mackenzie Tour last season, went 6-under par on the par 5s on Tuesday to share second place with Gilman and James.

Round one was suspended due to darkness at 7:01 p.m., with six players left to finish. Play will resume at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning.

CURRENT SCORES FOR MACKENZIE TOUR STATUS: After 72 holes this week, every player inside the top 40 and ties will earn Mackenzie Tour status for 2017. Below is a breakdown of where the cut-offs stand:

1^st (Exempt for 2017 season): -7/65

5^th (Exempt for first 8 events, subject to 2^nd reshuffle): -2/T5

16^th (Exempt for first 4 events, subject to 1^st reshuffle): +1/T15

40^th (Conditional status): +4/T37

BACKGROUND ON THE LEADER: Khan is no stranger to the Mackenzie Tour, having played in Canada for the last two seasons, including a career-best T3 finish at the 2015 ATB Financial Classic. He co-led through 54 holes at last season’s National Capital Open to Support Our Troops before falling off with a final round 78.

At the end of the season, Khan was unlucky no. 61: he missed out on finishing in the top 60 on the Order of Merit by just $345, denying him exempt status for this season by the narrowest of margins.

It was a “frustrating” year that saw plenty of 64s and 65s but too many tournaments with one bad round. Khan said he spent some time reflecting over the offseason on his goals for next year and realized he wasn’t too far off.

“After [missing out at] Q-School for the Web.com Tour, it was tough,” said Khan. “But I looked back and I had a lot of good rounds and I was leading a tournament, so I just recharged and focused. I knew that I had the game, it’s just about being a little more consistent.”

Khan played collegiate golf at the University of Arizona and was featured in Sports Illustrated’s Faces in the Crowd for golf when he was 13 years old.

THEY SAID IT:

“One hundred percent. Adam Cornelson, when I saw him last year, he told me ‘I was in the same spot.’ It just motivates you more, makes you want to stay on the range and putting green a little longer.” – Jonathan Khan on taking inspiration from players who narrowly missed out on keeping their Mackenzie Tour card in previous seasons.

“I had a little falling out with my putter a few weeks ago and put a new one in, and I told people ‘watch out.’ As soon as I put that one in I knew it was going to be a lot better, and it’s definitely showing off right now.” – Chris Gilman on turning his game around heading into this week.

“I got some experience, and I know what to expect. There’s a lot outside of golf, as far as logistics and things like that, so I’m looking forward to having a chance to go back.” – Craig McCoy on trying to qualify for the Mackenzie Tour for a second straight year.

“I kept the ball in play off the tee all day, and I’m striking my irons really solidly. The few times I missed I was able to mitigate the damage, and the putter was really good, so it was a great day.” – Nathaniel James on an opening round 66.

PLAYER NOTES:

Craig McCoy

McCoy was a Mackenzie Tour member in 2016, when he made two cuts in nine starts. The 27-year old earned status with a T20 finish at Carlton Oaks last year, including a final round 67.

Chris Gilman

Gilman played on the Web.com Tour in 2015, making three cuts in 12 starts including a T30 finish at the Nova Scotia Open. The 30-year old played college golf at the University of Denver and owns 23 professional victories, including the 2014 California State Open.

Nathaniel James

James played college golf at Washington and Lee University, where he had a successful college career and was named a Division III 1^st team All-American in 2007 and 2008. Following college, James continued into Law School and worked for three years as a Litigation Attorney before turning pro in 2014 and pursuing the game professionally.

Seven Byron Nelson Award nominees were announced on Tuesday, including Canadians Jared du Toit and Joey Savoie.

The award is given to the graduating senior who excels in golf, the classroom, and the community.

du Toit, a Team Canada Amateur Squad member, is having a banner year in his outgoing campaign with the Arizona State Sun Devils. The Kimberley, B.C., product notched a victory in February, helping him earn the nod as the Pac-12 Conference Golfer of the Month.

du Toit is currently Canada’s top-ranked athlete on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) at No. 14.

Fellow countryman Joey Savoie has posted two top-10 finishes so far this year for the Middle Tennessee Raiders, including a fifth place result at the Bearcat Invitational. The Quebec native and reigning Quebec Amateur champion is the No. 6 ranked Canuck on the WAGR.

The award recipient is typically announced about a month after the nominees are selected.

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GULLANE, Scotland – Muirfield has voted to admit female members for the first time in its 273-year history, paving the way for the Scottish golf club to again host the British Open.

The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, which owns Muirfield and is the world’s oldest golf club, held a second postal ballot after members voted last May to retain the male-only policy. That led to Muirfield being taken off the list of 10 courses that can host the British Open.

The results of the second vote were announced Tuesday, with 80.2 per cent voting to allow women to become members. A two-thirds majority was required for change. There was a 92.7 per cent turnout, meaning 621 votes were counted.

The R&A, which organizes the British Open, said Muirfield was back in the rotation to stage the world’s oldest major.

“This is a significant decision for a club which was founded in 1744 and retains many of the values and aspirations of its founding members,” Muirfield club captain Henry Fairweather said. “We look forward to welcoming women as members who will enjoy, and benefit from, the great traditions and friendly spirit of this remarkable club.”

Muirfield has staged the British Open 16 times since 1892, most recently in 2013 when Phil Mickelson won.

“Muirfield has a long and important history of hosting the Open and with today’s announcement that will continue,” the R&A said. “It is extremely important for us in staging one of the world’s great sporting events that women can become members at all of our host clubs. Muirfield is a truly outstanding Open venue and we very much look forward to taking the championship back there in future.”

The club’s original decision to retain its male-only policy provoked sharp criticism from players and lawmakers, who said that golf was failing to mirror modern society.

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St. Andrews opened its membership to women in 2014 for the first time in 260 years. Royal St. George’s and Royal Troon, two other British Open hosts, ended their male-only membership policies last year. Augusta National, home of the Masters, decided in 2012 to invite women to join.

The HCEG said new candidates for membership, both men and women, can expect to wait “two to three years, or longer,” to become a member of Muirfield because of the current waiting list for membership.

Adam Hadwin’s breakout season comes as no surprise to those who have followed the Canadian’s journey from golf obscurity to PGA Tour tournament champion. He had the talent, he just needed the momentum.

Hadwin continued his remarkable season Sunday, capturing his first Tour title at the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla. That followed a runner-up finish at the CareerBuilder Challenge in January, where he became the eighth player in Tour history to shoot a round of 59.

Hadwin has moved up to fourth in the FedEx Cup rankings and 51st in the world rankings, a rapid turnaround for a golfer who missed 12 cuts in his first PGA season. But ever since 2009, when he was making his pro start on the developmental Vancouver Golf Tour, Hadwin has been serving notice that he had the talent to make it on golf’s biggest stage.

“I learned pretty quickly he was a pretty confident guy. There was an air about him. I played with him in his second event, and he just whooped my (butt),” said Fraser Mulholland, who runs the Vancouver Golf Tour. “I hadn’t played with a guy who had hit it that far and that solid. I got off the course and said, ‘Wow, that looked different. That looked easy.’

“He was showing me then what a PGA Tour-calibre player was all about.”

Hadwin won four times on the VGT before moving on to the Canadian Tour (now called the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada) and Web.com Tour, where he was the overall money winner in 2014 with US$529,792 in earnings. He’s currently in his third season on the PGA Tour.

Nick Taylor, a PGA Tour tournament winner in 2014 who grew up playing junior golf with Hadwin in Abbotsford, B.C., said he knew success was going to happen for Hadwin once he got comfortable with his game.

“If you talk to anybody, anyone who has caddied for him or coached him, he’s got all the talent in the world, and then he was just able to piece it all together,” said Taylor, who was there to greet his friend after the 72nd hole on Sunday.

“Everyone has their comfort zone and this year it looks like he’s dialed it in. Once he got dialed in, and once he got out of his own way, he was going to succeed, there was no doubting that.”

Brad Fritsch, a PGA Tour regular from Ottawa, spent a lot of time with Hadwin on the Web.com Tour as they tried to get to the next level.

“I didn’t know anything about him, but he played on the Canadian Tour and started playing very well. That’s when I kind of figured he was pretty legit,” Fritsch said. “He’s very sure of his ability.

“He feeds a lot on momentum, and when his ‘good’ gets going, it gets really silly how good he can be.”

Hadwin, who was born in Moose Jaw, Sas., is the second Canadian to win on the PGA Tour this season after Hamilton’s Mackenzie Hughes captured the RSM Classic in November. The two will join former champion Mike Weir at the Masters this year, and it will be the first time three Canadians are in the field at the storied major tournament.

Jeff Monday, president of PGA Tour Canada where Hadwin played from 2010-11 and won two tournaments, thought Sunday’s win was a step the 29-year-old was going to take in his career eventually.

“The way he’s handled himself at each level is very impressive,” Monday said. “To be able to overcome some disappointments and keep working, keep going through the process, is impressive. For some people it happens quick, and for some people, they just keep building on their momentum.

“It’s tremendous to see. It’s incredible to me because the level of talent coming out of Canada is only going to be getting stronger.”

Back where it all began in British Columbia, Mulholland thinks more wins are in store for Hadwin.

“He’s got a very promising career ahead of him,” he said. “His golf swing is beautiful, and most importantly he knows how to putt. Now that he’s got his first win, I’m not going to say he’s going to win five times this year, but he could win five or 10 times in his career. Maybe more.”

Bath, Ont. product Augusta James capped a busy few days by Monday qualifying for the LPGA’s Bank of Founders Cup, running later this week from March 16-19.

The long-standing Team Canada athlete—and current Young Pro Squad member—dialed in a 7-under 65 to finish atop the 83-player field. She was joined by American Kaylin Yost as the two competitors to earn their spots at Wildfire Golf Club.

James, who currently holds partial status on the LPGA Tour, aims to play her way into events through Monday qualifiers where her schedule permits. She’s coming off one day’s rest, having finished T18 at the Symetra Tour season opener which concluded on Sunday.

She’s set to tee it up with fellow Canadians Brooke Henderson, Alena Sharp, Maude-Aimee Leblanc and Jennifer Ha.

The quest to earn Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada status begins this week at Carlton Oaks Country Club in Santee, California, where 120 players will look to earn their cards to compete on the Mackenzie Tour this season. Below are all the details from this week along with storylines to watch for from California:

HOW IT WORKS

120 players will compete at each qualifying tournament with hopes of earning their cards for 2017. Below is a breakdown of the status available at each site:

Finish Position
Status
Medalist
Exempt for 2017
2nd through 5th (no ties)
Exempt for first eight events and subject to second re-shuffle
6th through 16th (no ties)
Exempt for first four events and subject to first re-shuffle
17th through 40th (plus ties)
Conditional status

WHAT THEY’LL FACE

Carlton Oaks, a 7,410-yard layout designed by Perry Dye (son of Pete Dye), has hosted qualifying for the U.S. Amateur as well as the first stage of the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament in 2010. Last year, Californian John Chin claimed medalist honours and went on to have a successful season, recording two top-10s and finishing 29th on the Order of Merit.

“You’ve got to be pretty solid tee-to-green. The course is demanding, and pars don’t really hurt you,” says Chin, who went on to earn Web.com Tour status this year and ranks 39th on that Tour’s Money List. “The key is to stay away from big numbers, put your head down and grind away.”

THE START OF SOMETHING BIG

For many players, earning Mackenzie Tour status represents the first step on the path to the PGA TOUR. From college standouts taking their first crack at the professional ranks to players in search of that big break, earning a card at Q-School is the point of embarkation on the dream.

One needs to look no further than the example of Tony Finau, who had yet to find a footing in the professional ranks when he came to Mackenzie Tour Q-School in 2013. Finau earned his card and played a full season in Canada, and the rest is history; he’s since claimed wins on the Web.com Tour and PGA TOUR, and last year made a deep run in the FedExCup Playoffs.

Other Mackenzie Tour alumni to have earned their card at Q-Schools in California include The Five members Greg Eason, Taylor Pendrith and Sam Ryder, 2015 ATB Financial Classic winner Daniel Miernicki.

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Below are five in the field to keep an eye on this week in California:

Rico Hoey (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)

Currently the 15th-ranked player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, Hoey is in his senior season at the University of Southern California and has already been named an NCAA All-American three times.

Jonathan Khan (Tucson, Ariz.)

A Mackenzie Tour member in 2015 and 2016, Khan was the unlucky No. 61 on the Order of Merit last year to barely miss out on retaining exempt status for 2017. He co-led through 54 holes at last year’s National Capital Open to Support Our Troops.

Kevin Stinson (Mission, B.C.)

A veteran of 38 Mackenzie Tour starts, Stinson Monday Qualified five times in 2014 and 2015 and will look to regain full status this week.

Andy Shim (Duluth, Ga.)

The 2012 U.S. Junior Amateur champion decided to forgo college and turned pro in 2013 at age 18, and will look to earn Mackenzie Tour status for the first time.

Eric Hawerchuk (Barrie, Ont.)

The son of NHL legend Dale Hawerchuk, Eric has played in six career Mackenzie Tour events and led after round at the British Columbia Q-School last season before narrowly missing out on earning status.

CANADIANS IN THE FIELD (12)

Daniel Kim (Toronto, Ont.)

Adam Craig (Stoufville, Ont.)

Brett Kennedy (Waterloo, Ont.)

Kevin Stinson (Mission, B.C.)

Brendan Barrack (Toronto, Ont.)

Darren Day (Victoria, B.C.)

Drew Nesbitt (Shanty Bay, Ont.)

Gianfranco Guida (Maple, Ont.)

Eric Hawerchuk (Barrie, Ont.)

Gajan Sivabalasingham (Stoufville, Ont.)

Vincent Blanchette (Saint-Jean-Sur-Richlieu, Qc.)

Colin MacGregor (Hamilton, Ont.)

ALUMNI WATCH

Adam Hadwin’s maiden PGA TOUR victory at the Valspar Championship was the 130th by all-time Mackenzie Tour alumni on the PGA TOUR. The Abbotsford, British Columbia native won twice on the Mackenzie Tour at the 2010 Desert Dunes Classic and the 2011 Pacific Colombia Tour Championship.

Thanks to his epic hole-out and playoff win in Panama, 2015-16 Mackenzie Tour member Ethan Tracy leads the way among alumni on the Web.com Tour Money List through four events this season. Eight alums are currently in position to finish in The 25 and earn PGA TOUR cards for next season:

ANNE-CATHERINE ENTREPREND 2017 AVEC UN TOP DIX EN FLORIDE 

L’année est bien lancée pour Anne-Catherine Tanguay, laquelle a pris l’honorable 10^e place en fin de semaine dernière au tournoi Florida Natutral Charity Classic, premier rendez-vous de 2017 à la série Symetra disputé à Winter Haven pour une bourse totalisant 125 000$.

Anne-Catherine a joué sous la normale chaque jour en signant des cartes de 71, 70 et 71 pour un cumulatif de -4 lui valant 2617$.

Encore cette année, les dix premières boursières en fin de calendrier gradueront directement à la LPGA en 2018. 

Une très heureuse initiative des responsables a été la retransmission en direct en mode web diffusion. Espérons vraiment qu’il y aura une suite afin d’aider nos filles.

SARA-MAUDE REMONTE 

La victoire est allée à l’Écossaise Olivia Jordan Higgins à -10 ce qui lui a valu le magot de 18 750$.

Sara-Maude Juneau a progressé de jour en jour comme le montrent ses pointages de 75, 73 et 71 pour prendre la 34^e position qui lui rapporte 937$. 

La Britanno-Colombienne Samantha Richdal a été la meilleure Canadienne avec son 9^e échelon à -5.

DOMMAGE POUR LORIE 

Membre du Panthéon du golf canadien, Lorie Kane a été écartée du dernier parcours après deux comptes de 75 qui représentaient un coup de trop afin de pouvoir poursuivre.

Anne -Catherine Tanguay avait terminé 2^e plus tôt à l’Omnium de la Floride, mais cette présentation n’était pas sanctionnée par Symetra. 

Tout le monde prend congé pour voyager. La prochaine sortie aura lieu dans deux fins de semaine à Beaumont, en Californie.

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Olivia Jordan-Higgins won the season-opening Florida’s Natural Charity Classic by a stroke Sunday for her third Symetra Tour title.

Jordan-Higgins closed with a 2-under 70 to hold off Christine Song (66) and China’s Yu Liu (67). The winner finished at 10-under 207 at the Country Club of Winter Haven and earned $$18,750.

“I don’t think I can really put into words how it feels yet,” Jordan-Higgins said. “This has been 18 months’ work all put together. I couldn’t ask for a better start right now.”

Jordan-Higgins is from Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands between England and France, and played at Charleston Southern. She also won tour events in 2013 and 2014.

Jordan-Higgins took a two-stroke lead into the final day after opening with rounds of 66 and 70. She birdied the par-3 second and made a double bogey on the par-4 seventh, then _ after a nearly two-hour rain delay _ rallied with birdies on the par-5 11th and par-4 14th and 16th.

“The key today was patience,” Jordan-Higgins said. “I was a little tense on the front and trying too hard to make things happen that just weren’t happening and I did make some a mistake on seven. It just came down to patience and knowing that I had a lot of birdie changes left after my double on seven.”

Kelowna, B.C. product and defending champion Samantha Richdale led the way for the Canadian contingent, carding a final-round 71 (-1) to finish in ninth place at 5-under par. She was trailed by Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec, who closed at 4-under par to share 10th place. Rounding out the Canucks to finish inside the Top-20 were the trio of Team Canada graduates Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ont.), Augusta James (Bath, Ont.) and Elizabeth Tong (Thornhill, Ont.), who finished at 1-under in a five-way tie of 18th.

The top 10 on the final money list will earn 2018 LPGA Tour cards.

PALM HARBOR, Fla. – Canada’s Adam Hadwin is skipping his first World Golf Championship and asking for a refund for his honeymoon to Tahiti.

He couldn’t be happier.

Seven weeks after he shot a 59, and two weeks before his wedding, Hadwin added another eventful chapter to his amazing year.

He threw away a two-shot lead with three holes to play by hitting a tee shot into the water, kept his wits and then closed with two strong pars for an even-par 71 to win the Valspar Championship by one shot over Patrick Cantlay for his first PGA Tour title Sunday.

✅ Win on @PGATOURCanada
✅ Win on @WebDotComTour
✅ Win on @PGATOUR

Adam Hadwin wins the @ValsparChamp for his first victory on TOUR. pic.twitter.com/9bVybd130S

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 12, 2017

“You’re never quite sure when you’re going to get the job done,” Hadwin said. “I just went there today and stuck to what I do best, just hit some quality golf shots and really made the game super easy outside of hole No. 16. I feel a little fortunate after that hole to be sitting here, but I’ll certainly take it, and I can’t wait for everything that comes with this win.”

The victory moves him to No. 51 in the world and makes him eligible for the Dell Match Play – except that he’s getting married that week.

It also sends the 29-year-old Abbotsford, B.C., product to the Masters, meaning he will have to postpone that honeymoon to French Polynesia. Instead, he’ll be preparing for Augusta National, the place he called the “greenest place on earth.”

Even with a four-shot lead going into the final round, all he wanted was a chance over the final few holes.

The trick Sunday was reminding himself he was right where he wanted to be.

Hadwin twice holed big birdie putts on the back nine at Innisbrook as Cantlay was in close for birdies of his own, a 25-footer on the par-5 11th and then a 55-footer on the par-3 13th to keep a two-shot lead.

Adam Hadwin …

From another time zone. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/dqy26lsrxJ

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 12, 2017

But it all changed on the 16th, the start of a tough three-hole finish at the Copperhead Course. His 3-wood peeled off to the right and never had a chance, and Hadwin walked off the hole with a double bogey and a tie for the lead

From the 18th fairway, Cantlay blinked first.

The former No. 1 amateur in the world, playing for only the second time after missing two years with a back injury, leaked his approach into a bunker. Hadwin’s approach went just over the back against the collar of the fringe, leaving him a belly wedge down the grain that came off perfectly and settled 2 feet below the cup.

Cantlay’s bunker shot was well short, and he missed the 15-foot par putt to force a playoff.

He was 1 of 6 in sand saves for the week.

The consolation prize for Cantlay was a runner-up finish that paid $680,400, more than enough for him to secure full status for the rest of the year.

“It doesn’t really feel like much consolation at the moment,” Cantlay said. “I didn’t finish the deal.”

Even in loss, it was a bright return for the UCLA star. Cantlay wondered if his back would ever allow him to regain his form. While still in college, he shot 60 at the Travelers Championship in 2011, was low amateur in the U.S. Open and didn’t finish out of the top 25 in his four PGA Tour starts that summer.

A stress fracture in his back kept him out of golf for two years. Then, he endured a far greater burden a year ago February when his best friend and caddie, Chris Roth, was struck and killed by a car as they were walking to a restaurant for dinner in California.

He looked like he was never gone. Trailing by four shots with 10 holes to play, he ran off five birdies in a six-hole stretch that put enormous pressure on Hadwin.

“I was just trying to catch him,” Cantlay said. “And I caught him, and gave it to him in the end.”

Hadwin is the third Canadian to qualify for the Masters, joining RSM Classic winner Mackenzie Hughes and 2003 champion Mike Weir. He finished at 14-under 270.

His success earned praise from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Congratulations to Abbotsford’s @ahadwingolf on winning the PGA’s #ValsparChampionship today, and all the best on your upcoming wedding!

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) March 12, 2017

Jim Herman (68) and PGA Tour rookie Dominic Bozzelli (67) tied for third, two strokes behind Hadwin.

Tony Finau closed with a 64 to finish alone in fifth, though that likely will narrowly keep him out of the Dell Match Play in two weeks. Finau only moves to No. 70 in the world, and as many as five players are likely to withdraw.

Jason Dufner birdied his last two holes for a 67 to tie for 11th and qualify for Match Play.

David Hearn (70) of Brantford, Ont., tied for 18th at 4 under, Graham DeLaet (67) of Weyburn, Sask., finished 22nd at 3 under and Nick Taylor (74) of Abbotsford was 62nd at 5 over.

Hadwin’s fiancee, Jessica Kippenberger, made the wedding date for March 24 because that’s when the venue was available. Hadwin checked the schedule and figured it worked out beautifully.

“I looked at it as, ‘Hey, we picked the week of Puerto Rico,’ not we picked it the week of the WGC,” he said with a laugh.

The honeymoon deposit was only for the hotel. He booked refundable airline tickets with the Masters in mind.

PALM HARBOR, Fla. – Canada’s Adam Hadwin only wants a chance to win when he tees it up on the PGA Tour, and he’s never had a chance like this one.

Birdie putts from 35 feet and 55 feet on the back nine Saturday at the Valspar Championship stretched his lead to four shots. Equally important to him was the slick, bending six-foot par putt on the final hole.

“Three shots is much easier to come back from than four shots is,” Hadwin said after a clean card of 4-under 67. “That extra shot could be everything tomorrow. That was a big putt for me, I think, mentally going into tomorrow.”

The 29-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C., overcame a brief bout of nerves on the practice range with a flawless day in a strong, warm breeze on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook. That six-foot par putt made it 31 straight holes without a bogey, put him at 14-under 199 and gave him the four-shot lead over Patrick Cantlay.

It was the third time in the last four PGA Tour events the 54-hole leader was up by at least four shots, and all of them won comfortably – Jordan Spieth at Pebble Beach, Dustin Johnson at Riviera and Rickie Fowler at PGA National.

More than a big lead, there is not a lot of experience chasing Hadwin. Of the three players within six shots of him, only Jim Herman has experienced winning on the PGA Tour. Herman won the Shell Houston Open last year for his first victory. He had a 71 playing in the final group and fell five shots behind.

PGA Tour rookie Dominic Bozzelli had a 70 and was at 8-under 205.

Hadwin also had a 54-hole lead in the CareerBuilder Challenge when he shot 59 in the third round. He closed with a 70 and was runner-up to Hudson Swafford. He started that final round with a one-shot lead over Bozzelli.

Four shots is a lot bigger than one, though Hadwin said it could work both ways. He knows enough about Innisbrook to realize it can disappear quickly.

“But the other side of things is that guys are going to have to shot a good score to catch you,” he said. “To go bogey-free today, I mean, I’d love to do that again tomorrow. I think somebody would have to play an extremely good round of golf to catch me. Make some pars and make guys come and get you.”

British Open champion Henrik Stenson never made a move and struggled again getting his distance right in the wind, allowing for only a few reasonable birdie chances. He had another 71 and was seven shots behind, along with J.J. Henry (67).

David Hearn (68) of Brantford, Ont., was tied for 18th at 3 under, Graham DeLaet (72) of Weyburn, Sask., was 49th at 1 over and Nick Taylor (73) of Abbotsford was tied for 54th at 2 over.

For Hadwin, life has never been better.

It was at Innisbrook a year ago that he broke his 7-iron against a tree in anger, a starting point to learn how to smile more and worry less about golf, which he believes has led to better scores.

Plus, he’s getting married in two weeks.

A victory, perhaps even second place alone, might be enough to get Hadwin into the Dell Match Play. He won’t be going either way because his wedding is Friday (March 26) of that week.

A victory would get him into the Masters. In that case, the honeymoon might be postponed.

For now, he’s only thinking about playing good golf on Sunday and forcing everyone to catch him on the toughest track in Florida (that doesn’t convert par 5s into par 4s).

Equally compelling is the guy Hadwin will see on the first tee Sunday.

Cantlay was the No. 1 amateur at UCLA who swept all the big awards as a sophomore, and then shot 60 in the Travelers Championship the week after he was low amateur in the U.S. Open at Congressional. He played four PGA Tour events in summer of 2011 and never finished out of the top 25.

But at Colonial in 2013 as a rookie, he felt back pain. Doctors eventually diagnosed it as a stress fracture, and it took two years for him to feel healthy again. Turns out that wasn’t his biggest setback. He was walking to dinner with Chris Roth, his best friend and his caddie, a year ago February when Roth was struck and killed by a car.

From such a dark period, Cantlay managed to get his head, his back and his game in shape.

He says he is the same person who had such big expectations as an amateur.

“A few more low, highs and lows,” Cantlay said. “Gave me a little different perspective. At the time things were rolling so good all the time, I guess I didn’t think they could go any other way. But life hit me in the face pretty quick. So it’s really nice to be here playing, feeling good, and playing well.”