Baddeley and Davis advance cause at 3M Open
Aaron Baddeley – file photo
Aaron Baddeley has recorded his best PGA Tour finish since his 7th place finish at the Sony Open earlier this year when sharing 7th place at the 3M Open in Blaine in Minnesota today.
A four-time PGA Tour event winner and twice the Australian Open champion, Baddeley, who has been on the PGA Tour since 2022, added a final round of 69 to finish nine shots behind the winner Lee Hodges who won his first PGA Tour title.
Baddeley earns a cheque for US$240,000 and will make an important move from his position of 109th on the FedEx Cup table and ensure his playing rights once again for next season after playing on a former champions category in recent times.
It was the 3rd top ten of the season for Baddeley although this finish comes on top of missing four of his last five cuts so the turnaround has been timely.
He will have next week’s event in Greensboro to push for a place in the top 70 who will advance to the season ending playoffs, each of those events worth US$20 million.
“Overall it was a great week, another top-10,” said Baddeley. “I feel like I’m pretty close to locking up Top-125 for next year. So make a push next week to try and get that top-70, but the main goal is I think accomplished now.
“This goal at the start of the year was, number one was trying to have a win, and secondly was secure the Top-125. Coming out of the past champions category is never that easy because you don’t know when you’re going to play. To be almost locked up for that is pretty awesome. But tomorrow — next week I’ll try and make another good push.”
Cam Davis produced another good week. His final round of 65 sweeping him into a share of 10th place.
Davis will need a solid week next week to move inside the top 70. His finish this week has him close to it but he will need improvement if he is to advance to the opening event of the playoffs in Memphis in two weeks’ time.
“I’m just going to have to do the same thing I did these last 25 holes as far as next week,” said Davis when asked about his chances of making it to the Playoffs. “It’s nice to see some putts going in, nice to see a lot of greens in reg, a lot of chances to make birdies at the moment with the way I’m playing. Yeah, it’s going to be different grass, different weather, all that sort of stuff next week.”
