Losing his PGA Tour card in 2020 was a wake-up call for Adam Svensson.
After that disappointing experience the native of Surrey, B.C., realized he had to become a more disciplined golfer, working harder and being more diligent in his preparation. That new approach has paid dividends this season, with Svensson winning on the PGA Tour for the first time and rocketing up the FedEx Cup standings.
"There's a fear that I have of, you know, what would I do if I didn't play golf?" said Svensson after playing a practice round at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C. "I just couldn't see myself doing anything else but golf and I have a fear that if I don't give it 100 per cent or keep doing what I'm doing I will lose my card.
"I think that's what drives me each week to keep doing what I'm doing."
Svensson's PGA Tour card is safe after he won the RSM Classic on Nov. 20 by two strokes. Because that event is at the start of the men's professional golf season, he moved into the top 10 of FedEx Cup standings and is 18th on those rankings heading into the RBC Heritage on Thursday.
The win at the RSM Classic has also allowed Svensson to play in some of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the world for the first time, including the Players Championship and last week's Masters.
Svensson said that his first round of competitive golf at Augusta National Golf Club was "amazing."
"There's so many people out there and the atmosphere was incredible," said Svensson. "I think the coolest part is teeing off, they announced your name off the first tee, you get going and it's hard to explain, but it's just unreal to be a part of that tournament."
Svensson's more disciplined approach is largely self-guided. He sometimes consults with his dad on his swing but for the most part it's just Svensson waking up early, putting in more hours at the course, and finding something new to work on every day.
"I've been doing this routine for a couple years now. and it's almost like it's part of me now," said Svensson. "It was tough at first and then it just became something that I do.
"It just becomes easier and easier, I think, especially with results. It just makes it a whole lot easier."
He does consult with putting coach John Graham, who said that Svensson's self-discipline has made it "very, very enjoyable" to work with him.
"He listens hard. He researches a lot on his own and thinks a lot," said Graham. "So when we get together he constantly has questions and ideas of 'what do you think about this? is this something we should consider?' stuff like that. He's very involved."
Svensson will be joined at the RBC Heritage by five other Canadians. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., as well as Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont.
KORN FERRY TOUR — Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., is the top Canadian in the field at the Veritex Bank Championship at the Texas Rangers Golf Club. He's seventh in the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour's points list. Edmonton's Wil Bateman, Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., and Vancouver's Stuart Macdonald will also tee off in Arlington, Texas.
LPGA TOUR — Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., entered this week's LOTTE Championship seventh in the Race to CME Globe standings. Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., and Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., are also in the field at Hoakalei Country Club in Ewa Beach, Hawaii.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2023.
John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
