PALM HARBOR, Fla. – On a day when Wesley Bryan had to go low, he failed to make a single birdie.
Bryan, making his final of 21 starts on a medical extension after undergoing surgery on his left wrist last year, signed for 2-over 73 and a 72-hole total of 2-under 282 at Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course. He sits T-62 at the Valspar Championship.
“I’m just not good enough right now,” an understandably dejected Bryan said after the round.
Bryan, 31, needed to finish sixth or better this week to satisfy his medical extension and regain his exempt Tour status for the remainder of the 2021-22 season. Bryan made the cut on the number after making birdie at his final hole on Friday. Beginning the final round T-49, Bryan likely would’ve needed to shoot one of the lowest rounds of the week to make up ground. (Matthew NeSmith shot 61 on Friday and Davis Riley 62 on Saturday to make the final group on Sunday.) But Bryan could’ve retained conditional status in the Nos. 126-150 category by finishing 51st or better. Asked if the windy conditions might help his chances of improving his position on the leaderboard, Bryan said, “No chance.”
Valspar: Leaderboard | Best photos | PGA Tour Live on ESPN+
Wanna know why he made the cut?? Hits this out, then gets up and down for bogey on his 17th!!!! pic.twitter.com/OGwQCMVL1V
— Bryan Bros Golf (@bryanbrosgolf) March 18, 2022
When Bryan replays what went wrong in his mind, he’ll start with his driving. He ranked last in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (-3.829) of the 72 players who made the cut this week. Bryan was paired in the final round with Tour rookie Austin Smotherman, who noted, “You could feel the pressure mounting on every hole. At the end, he needed every putt to go.”
All is not lost for Bryan to keep playing at the PGA Tour level. As the winner of the 2017 RBC Heritage, he still has past champion status. Despite being lower in the pecking order behind the 126-150 category, Bryan should get a handful of starts, including at next week’s opposite field event at Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, before the FedEx Cup playoffs in August.
On Saturday, Bryan said he’s healthy enough and prepared to play as much as he can until the end of the season. He echoed that sentiment on Twitter on Sunday.
Been a long few years, spent most of it rehabbing shoulder and wrist. Thank you to everyone for the support this week….definitely felt the love out there. I tried my hardest….came up short. It stings, but I’m not done trying ✌🏽 https://t.co/g3tRcIrar1
— Wesley Bryan (@wesleybryangolf) March 20, 2022
