Adam Hadwin heads back to the PGA Tour's Q-school next week brimming with confidence after scoring the biggest victory of his budding pro career on Sunday.
The 23-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C., won the inaugural Desert Dunes Classic in a playoff over fellow Canadian Richard T. Lee.
It was his first victory on the developmental circuit and adds to a dream rookie year that has included low Canadian honours at the PGA Tour's RBC Canadian Open, two runner-up finishes on the Canadian Tour and three other top 10s.
"I've been playing some really solid golf lately, but this should give me even more momentum heading into second stage [of Q-school]" Hadwin told cantour.com after lifting the winner's cup. "It certainly isn't going to hurt. To know I can get it done under pressure should give me a big confidence boost."
He was one of 13 Canadians who advanced from Q-school's first stage last month. His second stage tournament begins Nov. 17 at the Bayonet course in Seaside, Calif.
Hadwin, Lee of Vancouver and Ryan Yip of Calgary began the final round at Desert Dunes Golf Club in Desert Hot Springs, Calif., tied for the lead at 17-under-par 199.
Hadwin almost won in regulation but bogeyed the last hole to shoot two-under 70 and set up the playoff. Lee, a 20-year-old who turned professional at 16 and now lives in Arizona, also shot 70. Yip, 25, who has one Canadian Tour title under his belt, missed the playoff by a shot after carding 71.
Hadwin needed just a par on the first extra hole to seal the victory.
"I had come close so many times this year, it's pretty special to be able to get this one," Hadwin said. "I put myself in position again to win this golf tournament and if you can do that enough times, you have to think it is going to happen. It's said the first one is the hardest, and that certainly proved true for me."
While the day belonged to a trio of young Canadians making their mark in pro golf, 51-year-old veteran Jim Rutledge of Victoria surged up the leaderboard with a 68, tying for low round of the day.
Rutledge, who's headed to the Champions Tour's Q-school next week, tied for fourth place with Americans Will Strickler and Andres Gonzalez at 14 under.
One of Hadwin's former teammates on Canada's national amateur squad, Nick Taylor, also of Abbottsford, tied for 21st place at eight in his second tournament as a pro.
The Canadian Tour's leading money winner this year, Aaron Goldberg of the United States, shared eighth place and took his season earnings to a tour-record $156,118. Hadwin moved into second place on the money list at $88,897.