Canada’s Adam Svensson beat a tight pack to secure his first PGA win at RSM Classic

Adam Svensson secured his biggest paycheck on Sunday with his $1.4 million win at Sea Island, his first on the PGA Tour.

At  $1,458,000, Adam Svensson just gained his biggest payday ever — more than he made in either of his last two years on the PGA Tour — by breaking out of a four-way tie to emerge the surprise winner of the RSM Classic at Sea Island. With his first win on the Tour, the 28-year-old Canadian has earned a two-year exemption on the PGA and spots to next year’s The Masters and PGA Championships. The other majors will likely follow suit. Not bad for just his third year on the Tour.

“It’s not even real right now. I’m just so happy. I’ve just put so much work in and to win on the PGA Tour means everything to me,” said an emotional Svensson, according to CBS. “It’s been an up-and-down journey. I’ve had lows, I’ve had highs, but I just kept believing in myself and here I am.”

Adam Svensson comes out on top at RSM Classic in first-ever PGA Tour win

Leaving Callum Tarren, Brian Harman and Sahith Theegala behind by two strokes, Svensson’s bogey-free day on the final outing left those chasing him tied for second. Two successive birdies clutched in on the 16th and 17th holes gave the Canadian upstart the margin he needed to fight for his first PGA title.

A double bogey on the seventh ruined Theegala’s chances of surpassing the players he tied with. An impressive five birdies afterwards still weren’t enough to catch up to the Canadian.

“It looked like we’d have a four-way playoff, and next thing you know, it wasn’t even close,” said U.S. Presidents Cup Captain and tournament host Davis Love III, according to Yahoo!Sports.

Adam Svensson’s improvements began to show after working with putting coach John Graham last year. “When you have confidence when you’re putting, you feel like you can make everything and those two-, three-footers, you just bang them in,” he said.

Svensson also credits a “humbling season” on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020 for inspiring him to improve his consistency to the level that matched his talents. Quitting drinking also helped his performance ability. The combination of increased discipline, committing to harder work, and his putting sessions with Graham have now earned Svensson his breakthrough win. He’s sure to keep building on his momentum.

No one will doubt Adam Svensson’s chances again.

The PGA Tour will be on a six-week hiatus until it resumes once more in January with the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, Hawaii.