SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Chesson Hadley couldn’t wait to get on Twitter after his second round Friday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
A day earlier, Hadley was 3 under through 16 holes before rolling his 105-foot eagle putt into the water at TPC Scottsdale’s par-4 17th hole. The resulting double bogey derailed his round and left him with an even-par 71.
The aftermath on social media was even worse.
“That could’ve been the lowlight of my golf career,” Hadley said. “I played great yesterday and to finish the way I finished was obviously really disappointing. I’m really proud of the way I hung in there and what I did today.”
Hadley responded in a big way, silencing his critics with a 6-under 65 that moved him back into contention at the People’s Open. Even better: He drove the green again at No. 17, only this time he sent his eagle try 80 feet and right into the bottom of the cup.
“All I could think about were all the idiots on Twitter who were trolling me last night,” Hadley said. “I probably earned it, but I’m hoping there’s a video out there somewhere because I’m going to retweet that and stick it to them.”
Had a lot of people say some really nice things to me after putting the ball in the water yesterday on 17 en route to my double.
— Chesson Hadley (@chessonhadley) February 1, 2019
Just wanted to let you know I made one today from 80’9” for eagle.
Have a nice day! ✌🏻 pic.twitter.com/u8QEuhqtDR
Added Hadley’s playing competitor, Harold Varner III: “He gets most improved, for sure.”
Hadley was so caught up in the moment that he forgot his trademark snapping celebration. Instead, he delivered a powerful fist pump and accompanying “c’mon!”
“I’m trying not to oversaturate the market,” Hadley said of his snapping, which recently has become less common. “You know, there’s a Starbucks on every corner. You’ve got to kind of reel them in a little bit and, boom, give them what they want. There should’ve been a snap on 17 but I was too busy freaking out over the putt thinking about Twitter later.”