Mike Cormack

Adam Hadwin swears he was nervous on Friday, he just didn’t play like it.

The 22-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C. rode a hot putter Friday to a second round 66 at the Canadian Open to finish the day at 6-under par and low Canuck entering the weekend.

His score was not only impressive because it was just his second career round on the PGA Tour, but because it could have been even better.

At the par-3, 16th Hadwin missed an uphill birdie putt from 10 feet and on No. 17, he missed another 10-footer, this time for par. Then on 18, with a day’s good work seemingly slipping away, he poured in a clutch 10-foot par putt to the delight of the Canadian fans surrounding the green.

“Coming up to that putt on 18, I looked at the scoreboard and saw Ames at five (under) and I knew I was at six (under), so I wanted to make that putt to stay low Canadian,” Hadwin explained after the round. “That was a huge momentum boost for me going into the weekend.

Hadwin, who at 5'9" and 157lbs resembles a younger, right-handed Mike Weir, is thrilled with his play after two days and fully aware he’ll wake up tomorrow in unfamiliar territory—in contention at his national championship.

“Yeah, well, I’ve been able to keep that out of my mind so far,” he said. “And I think that’s the reason why I’ve been playing so well.

“The way my year has progressed so far, I couldn’t ask for anything more. When I get out on the golf course, it’s all business, but off the course, I kind of have to pinch myself and think ‘is this really real?’ Am I really doing this right now?’”

Hadwin has the added advantage this week of employing a local caddie—St. George’s club champion Craig Sinclair, no less—to help him with the lines off the tee and distances from the fairways into the greens.

We walked the final three holes Friday with Hadwin and it was clear he was relying on Sinclair’s experience and course knowledge on every shot.

“I think he knows this place a bit better than I do,” said Hadwin. “He’s very good at telling me, okay, I got 155, it’s going to play 160. And then I got a better idea of what club I should take.”

When asked if he can win this week, the Canadian Tour player responded: “Absolutely. If I can control my nerves and continue to hit the ball like I have, then I have a chance.”

Hadwin will spend Friday night attending a CFL game between the Toronto Argonauts and his beloved B.C. Lions before trying to get a good night’s sleep before what will be the biggest day of his young golfing career.

“I’ve slept well the last two nights,” he said. “That’s one thing I’ve really never had an issue with, is sleeping.”

Given how relaxed how looked on the course Friday, we believe it.