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Forget the calm before the storm, Patrick Rodgers is relishing the calm after the storm—both in his career and typically turbulent Bermuda.
After six solid years on the PGA Tour, each one netting at least $1 million, Rodgers struggled through 2020, lost his card and was forced to play his way back on Tour through the Korn Ferry Tour Finals.
But the reprieve has triggered instant results. A relaxed and refreshed Rodgers started the season with a T-6 in Napa at the Fortinet Championship, and on Friday — after nasty weather rolled through the region on Thursday — he fired a 64 to jump into the lead at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship after the early wave of players at Port Royal Golf Course.
Rodgers admitted he struggled with returning to the Korn Ferry Tour, noting that he’d gotten comfortable with life on the PGA Tour.
Bermuda Championship: Scores | Photos
“It was really difficult to go through, to be honest with you. My mindset and I think the mindset of most players out here is that I got my card at 22 and I didn’t feel like I would ever be in that position, to be quite honest with you,” Rodgers said. “I felt like I had the game to not put myself there and it was maybe a little slice of humble pie, and more so just kind of managing stress on the golf course.
“I’m definitely feeling like I’m able to breathe a breath of fresh air here as the new season started. I’m really grateful to be out here and I’m playing some stress-free golf, which is nice.”
The highlight of Rodgers’ round on Friday was a chip-in eagle on No. 7, in which the Stanford product simply followed the lead of his playing partner, Michael Kim. After watching Kim chip in four times in eight holes, Rodgers finally followed suit.
While the chip was the TV moment, Rodgers’ early-season success has hinged on his putter. After finishing 11th in putting on the Tour two seasons ago, Rodgers fell to 96th during last season’s struggles.
Through three events and…
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Source : yahoo
