Black Hall’s Adam Rainaud makes late charge,
qualifies for PGA Championship
Adam Rainau of South Hadley qualified for the PGA Championship, by virtue of his top 20
finish at the PGA Professional National Championship Wednesday.
Russ Held, Special to The Republican By Russ Held, Special to The Republican
Tenth place never felt so good..
Adam Rainaud of South Hadley posted a top 10 finish Wednesday at the PGA Professional
National Championship, an effort more than enough to qualify him for the upcoming 97th PGA
Championship.
Rainaud punched his ticket by virtue of a Top 20 finish at this week's PGA Professional National
Championship in Philadelphia.
"Obviously, this is bigger than probably any win I might have this season,'' Rainaud said. "I'd
rather finish 10th and qualify for the PGA Championship, than win just about anything else I'll
play.
"It's by far my best (10th place finish). I'm pretty pumped.''
The assistant pro at Black Hall Club in Old Lyme, Conn., tied for 10th place after firing a finalround of 2-under-par 68 Wednesday at Philadelphia Cricket Club. The 2-over-par 284 finish
qualified Rainaud for the season's final major championship, set for Whistling Straits in Kohler,
Wisc., on Aug. 13-16.
Matt Dobyns of Glen Head, N.Y. was the winner, finishing at 3-under 279.
Rainaud began the final round tied for 31st place, two strokes off the medal to finish in the top
20 and qualify for his first major championship. He finished two strokes clear of the qualifying
cut, as five players tied for 20th place at 4 over.
Click here for a look at the full leaderboard.
"I thought I needed to be 1 under today, because I figured 3-over would get in,'' Rainaud said. "I
had an 8-footer for par at 18 and when I made it, I was 100 percent sure I was in.
"From the 14th hole in, that's the toughest part of the golf course. The last two days, I went out
early and posted a good round. Then I kept moving up because everyone else was moving
backward.''
He made four birdies, including three on the back nine, during the final round. Only one other
player (Brian Cairns, 3 under) posted a lower final round score than Rainaud.
"I drove it well, hit a lot of greens and made a few extra putts,'' said Rainaud, whose brother
Scott Rainaud caddied all week. "I one-putted six of the last seven holes today. That's what got
me in.''
Rainaud, 29,is the reigning Connecticut Section PGA Player of the Year and last year qualified
for the PGA Tour's Travelers Championship.
"Playing in the Travelers will really help me,'' Rainaud said. "The PGA is a bigger deal, with a
better field. But I had two good rounds at the Travelers and I came pretty close to making the
cut.
"And if I said last year that I was maybe 'just happy to make it,' I won't say that at the PGA,''
Rainaud said. "It's my job. It's my goal to play as well as I can there.''
Rainaud had opened with a 76, before carding successive even-par efforts of 70. He climbed
from a tie for 130th place to 58th after two rounds and 31st entering the final round.