SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda -- Adam Hadwin got off the start he needed in his bid to retain full PGA Tour playing privileges, shooting a 6-under 65 in windy conditions on Thursday in the first round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, which was not completed because of darkness.
Hadwin entered the week at No. 147 in the FedEx Cup standings; the top 100 after next week's RSM Classic keep their tour cards next year. He led Takumi Kanaya by one shot. Braden Thornberry was also 5 under with two holes to play at Port Royal.
The 38-year-old Hadwin, a two-time Presidents Cup player from Canada, had never missed the FedEx Cup playoffs in a decade on tour before this year.
"A bit of the shock to the ego, not gonna lie," Hadwin said. "It might have hindered me a little bit through the season as I continued to struggle a little bit. I reached a point, though probably too late, probably July, August where I kind of accepted where I was at, just needed to battle through.
"I do truly believe that I've got my best golf is still to come, I've got a lot more in me and then I'll be a better player once I get through this. It was just a matter of when I got through this and today's a good start."
Kanaya and Thornberry also began the week outside the top 100. Ryo Hisatsune, Alex Smalley and Isaiah Salinda each shot 67, and Frankie Capan III was 4 under with two holes to play.
