Important top ten for Aaron Baddeley in Honolulu
Aaron Baddeley – file photo Bruce Young
Aaron Baddeley, playing on sponsor’s exemption at this week’s Sony Open, has finished in a share of 7th place in the event at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu and as a result will assure himself of a start in next week’s American Express event in La Quinta.
Baddeley who was an alternate for next week’s event, earns the right to play by finishing inside the top ten this week and continues his push to regain the PGA Tour playing rights he has owned since first playing the PGA Tour in 2003.
Interestingly, it was in one of his first PGA Tour events as a cardholder, that he finished runner-up after a playoff to Ernie Els in this very event in 2003 so the Sony Open, or its equivalent, continues to be very good to him.
Baddeley is playing with limited status this season having lost his playing rights last year. He does gain entry into some events via a past champion category on occasions but the opportunity to get to play next week courtesy of his fine effort this week is a bonus for him.
Baddeley finished tied for 7th and will earn a cheque close to US$250,000.
“My goal this week was just to get a little bit better every day, and I did that,” said the 41 year old two time Australian Open Champion. “Ball hitting was pretty spot on today. I can honestly say I think I hit one shot offline today. I haven’t done that in forever.”
Baddeley expressed after this final round of 65 just how difficult it is playing without guaranteed status on the PGA Tour.
“It’s definitely hard. It’s probably harder on my family I would say than it is on me because it’s like, oh, you try and make plans and then you either get an invite or you’re top 10 or you Monday qualify or you don’t Monday qualify and you get back home.”
Baddeley was also asked how he would assess his career to date.
“I mean, if I was going to be honest, I’d say disappointing. Sort of coming out if I was 18, 19, 20, if you said I’d only won four times and hadn’t won a major at 41, I would have said — I would not have agreed with you.
“But I can honestly say I feel like my best golf is in front of me, just with how simplified Mike has made my game, and to be able to come into a week like this not really hitting it very well to then having one of my best ball-striking rounds ever, that’s pretty cool.
“It’s nice to know that it doesn’t need to be perfect to start a week to have a good week.”
Adam Scott was also in line for a top ten before a bogey at the 17th and then failing to birdie the last saw him finish in a share of 21st place. Consecutive weekend rounds of 67 followed a round of 66 on Friday and saw Scott improve over the final 54 holes but his faltering finish proved costly.
“It was fairly solid stuff without anything really happening for me,” said Scott. “I liked some of the things that I worked on throughout the week and felt like it’s in a good spot going forward, that’s for sure. Probably just need some practice. I haven’t really practiced since before December.
“I tried to take a bit of a break and came to Kapalua underdone, and I think I’m just starting to get warmed up now.
“But I like — I can take some good stuff out of these two weeks with where the game is at and kind of a theme for the year going forward maybe.”
The event was won by two time Presidents Cup player, Si Woo Kim, whose final round of 64 earned him a one shot victory over Hayden Buckley and completed the Korean’s fourth PGA Tour title but his first since the American Express event in early 2021.
