Golf – The 150th Open Championship – Old Course, St Andrews, Scotland, Britain – July 12, 2022 The silhouette of Tiger Woods of the U.S. is pictured as he tees off during practice REUTERS/Paul Childs
On Sunday, Nick Hardy and Davis Riley clinched the 2023 Zurich Classic title to take home the winning share of the $8.4 million prize purse. The win at TPC Louisiana is the first PGA Tour victory for both golfers.
The win is extra special for Hardy, who had to re-earn his PGA Tour card last year. The PGA Tour has now shared a heart-rendering video of the 27-year-old, who had once, as a child, adorably begged his father to take him golfing.
Zurich Classic winner Hardy had once hoped to become the next Tiger Woods
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Like every other sport, golf comes with its own share of trials and tribulations. Nick Hardy is one such golfer who is well-versed in the challenges of pursuing the sport professionally. The Illinois native, along with Davis Riley, overcame the pair of Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor to win their first PGA Tour event on Sunday.
Last year, however, Hardy’s career in the PGA Tour hit a roadblock. The golfer had injured his wrist, leaving him out of action for two months. He then regained his PGA Tour card at the Korn Ferry finals, proving his devotion to the game. In fact, his love for golf developed at a very young age. After his win, @PGATOUR shared a wholesome video of Hardy reading out a letter he wrote to his father as a 4th-grader. In the letter, young Hardy had listed the reasons his father should take him golfing, one of which was that he could have a chance to “go on the PGA Tour.”
“Dad, if you take me golfing, I can get a better handicap,” he wrote many years ago. “Right now, I have a 14 handicap. If I practice more, I can get a handicap under 10.” Like many others, Hardy has also grown up idolizing 15-time major winner Tiger Woods. “If I get a handicap under 10, I can maybe be famous. I might be the next Tiger Woods,” Hardy said in his letter.
He had also dreamed about going on the PGA Tour as a child. “If I go on the PGA Tour, I can win a lot of money and be rich. I think it would be fun to win there.” Per the PGA Tour, Nick Hardy earned a sum total of $1,688,360 in his first 50 starts. His latest win has brought him $1,242,700, more than half of his previous career earnings.
Nick Hardy-Davis Riley win the 2023 Zurich Classic
As the Zurich Classic of New Orleans drew to an end, the pair of Nick Hardy and Davis Riley were adorned with alligator skin championship belts and bead necklaces. The embellishments came as a courtesy of their win at the event, where they both bagged the $2,485,000 winner’s share. They will be walking away with $1,242,700 each.
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via Imago PGA, Golf Herren Zurich Classic of New Orleans – First Round Apr 20, 2023 Avondale, Louisiana, USA The caddie for Sahith Theegala holds the flag on the 10th green during the first round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament. Avondale Louisiana USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xAndrewxWeversx 20230420_anw__032. Image Courtesy: IMAGO
The pair closed the final round with a 7-under 65, finishing with a record total of 30-under 258. This trumps the 259 that Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele posted in 2022. Before the Zurich Classic, Hardy’s best finish was a T5 finish at the Sanderson Farms Classic. Davis Riley’s best was a playoff loss to Sam Burns in the 2022 Valspar Championship.
With their victory, Hardy and Riley have earned a two-year exemption and have qualified for the PGA Championship next month at Oak Hill.
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Nick Hardy’s story is truly an inspiration to many budding golfers out there. What was your favorite moment from the 2023 Zurich Classic? Let us know in the comments!