Image Credit: CBS
Adam Schenk arrived at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship expecting sunshine and calm breezes. Instead, he found cold winds, a stained sweater he refused to take off, and ultimately, the most meaningful week of his career.
In his 243rd PGA TOUR start, Schenk finally became a champion, carding an even-par 71 on a brutal, windy final day at Port Royal Golf Course to win by one shot.
“Unbelievable,” Schenk said. “You never know if this day will ever come. That’s what makes it surreal.”
Battling Conditions for a Long-Awaited Breakthrough
Tournament officials moved final-round tee times up an hour due to severe gusts, but the conditions still bordered on chaotic. Schenk made only one birdie in his first 14 holes and dropped a shot on the par-4 15th. From there, he held firm, finishing with three clutch pars to secure the championship.
The victory transformed a difficult season that saw Schenk make just 11 cuts in 27 starts. The win propelled him from No. 134 to No. 67 in the FedExCup Fall standings and earned him a multi-year exemption on TOUR.
He admitted the season included stretches he’d rather forget.
“Two sets of six missed cuts… it was an impressively bad run,” he said. “But I believe in what I do. That belief was everything this week.”
One-Handed Putting and Unusual Preparation
Schenk used a one-handed putting routine for most of the week, something he practiced on the hotel carpet between college football games. The carpet had a natural break both ways, which he took full advantage of. On Sunday, with wind shaking the putter, he added his left hand “just resting on top.”
His short par putt on the 72nd hole demanded nerve. “It was blowing the putter all over,” Schenk said. “But you can’t stand there forever. Smooth stroke, release it, and trust it.” He rolled it in for the win.
The Relief of Avoiding Q-School
The victory means Schenk won’t need to attend PGA TOUR Q-School, something he viewed as a major blessing.
“That’s another week away from my two boys and my dog, Bunker,” he said.
He plans to celebrate modestly with a few close friends. With two young children who wake early, big celebrations aren’t exactly part of his lifestyle.
Leaving Bermuda
Schenk arrived with one sweater. He’s leaving with the same one, stains, smell, and all. But he’s also leaving with something far more important: his first PGA TOUR title and a renewed belief in his game.
