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Breakthrough

Part-time Denver resident Kevin Stadler makes first PGA Tour cut since 2014

By Gary Baines – 1/29/2021

At long last.

Part-time Denver resident Kevin Stadler did something on Friday he hadn’t done in more than six years — make a cut on the PGA Tour.

During that stretch, he had gone 24 consecutive PGA Tour starts without earning official money on the circuit. The last time the Kent Denver graduate had made a cut was mid-October 2014, when he placed 28th in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. 

It wasn’t coincidental that his next Tour start following the Shriners,  he broke his left hand — though he didn’t know it at the time — while competing in the HSBC Champions in China.

But on Friday at the Farmers Insurance Open, the 2014 Waste Management Phoenix Open champion ended the drought in cold, rain, wind and some hail on the tough South Course at Torrey Pines in San Diego, site of the 2021 U.S. Open in June.

Stadler made the 36-hole cut on the number by shooting an even-par 72 on Friday, leaving him at 1-under 143. The 40-year-old played his final four holes in 1 under par as the weather became particularly bad. 

In fact, the horn blew, suspending play, before Stadler hit his third shot on his 18th hole (the par-5 ninth) on Friday. After action resumed about 45 minutes later, hehit an approach to 33 feet and two-putted, making a 21-incher for par.

In his previous 24 PGA Tour starts, Stadler had missed 21 cuts, withdrew twice and was disqualified once.

On Friday, Stadler overcame a double bogey on his third hole by following it up with two straight birdies. For the day, he posted four birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey. He trails leader Viktor Hovland by eight strokes with two rounds remaining.

Stadler is currently competing on the PGA Tour via a medical extension. He needs to earn at least $717,890 in his next 15 events to keep his card.

Stadler was a very successful amateur — in Colorado and beyond — before embarking on a pro career in which he’s earned $9.7 million in official PGA Tour money, though none in the last six years. Stadler won a state high school individual title at Kent Denver and two CGA Match Play championships, in addition to landing the trophy at the 1997 Junior Worlds.

As a pro, besides his 2014 Phoenix Open title, Stadler has won four times on the Korn Ferry Tour, a couple of times internationally, the 2002 Colorado Open and the 2002 PNC Championship title with his dad, 1982 Masters champion Craig Stadler.

Also making the cut on Friday in San Diego was Denver native Wyndham Clark (67-73—140).

(Updated Jan. 31) Stadler went on to struggle on the weekend, shooting back-to-back rounds of 5-over-par 77 and finishing 77th at 9-over  297. On Sunday, his round included a triple-bogey 8 on his 15th hole.

Stadler earned $14,250 for his first official money on the PGA Tour since 2014.

Meanwhile, Clark placed 32nd at Torrey Pines after carding scores of 67-73-73-72 for a 3-under 285 total. The Valor Christian graduate played solidly on the weekend aside from a double bogey each day.

For all the scores from the Farmers Insurance Open, CLICK HERE.

Elsewhere this week:

Paige Crawford of Colorado Springs finished fifth out of 19 players at The Cactus Tour event that ended Wednesday in Litchfield Park, Ariz. Crawford posted scores of 71-73-74 for a 2-over-par 218, which left her seven strokes behind winner Britney Yada of Hilo, Hawaii. Crawford earned $610.

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