The initial triumph is generally the toughest, and in his 243rd tournament appearance, Adam Schenk can confidently state that the challenging phase is concluded, as he has officially emerged as a victor on the PGA Tour. Exceeding and skillfully navigating the competition at a breezy Port Royal Golf Course, Schenk secured the 2025 Bermuda Championship by a narrow margin of one stroke over Chandler Phillips, concluding at 12 under.
Schenk was compelled to sink a 5-foot par putt on the concluding hole to fend off Phillips and become the 16th first-time victor on the PGA Tour in 2025. During a week where he was executing certain putts with a singular hand and retreating due to uneasiness over his golf ball, Schenk gathered the inner strength to overcome the obstacles and ascend into a new category.
With his inaugural triumph, Schenk guarantees his participation rights on the PGA Tour for the subsequent two seasons. The 33-year-old commenced the week positioned at No. 134 in the FedEx Cup standings and facing substantial jeopardy of forfeiting his full-time status. He had failed to make the cut in 15 instances this season, encompassing eight in his recent 14 starts, and had not achieved a top-20 outcome since The CJ CUP Byron Nelson back in May.
Conversely, he will not only participate in full-field events in 2026 but also in tournaments such as the Players Championship, PGA Championship, and RBC Heritage. He elevates to No. 67 in the FedEx Cup standings and might secure a spot in the initial two signature events should he ascend inside the top 60 by the conclusion of the following week’s season finale at the RSM Classic.
“I began to exhibit improved golf in the past four months,” Schenk remarked. “I consistently retained a degree of conviction. I have been exerting considerable effort. I have numerous individuals to express gratitude towards. I lament that my family could not attend. Naturally, I secure victory beyond national borders, precluding my wife from being present.”
Schenk’s Sunday stroll in Bermuda was far from effortless, as tee times were advanced due to weather conditions. Confronted with wind gusts reaching up to 40 mph, players encountered difficulties in executing precise golf shots and enduring the trials presented by Mother Nature.
However, Schenk distinguished himself by commencing his day in a relatively ordinary manner, achieving one birdie and eight pars across his initial nine holes. While scoring prospects were limited, the overnight leader adeptly maintained his position at the forefront and averted any errors that might prove detrimental.
Progressing ahead on the golf course, Alex Smalley and others launched offensives to exert pressure on the leader. Smalley descended to as low as 11 under but necessitated three putts from roughly 15 feet on the concluding hole, descending to 10 under for the tournament. Simultaneously, Frankie Capan III attained the same 12-under figure before relinquishing shots on the par-3 16th and par-5 17th, ultimately settling for a tie for third.
Schenk encountered opportunities to render the situation more comfortable during the concluding stretch, but his putter harbored divergent intentions. Executing the par-5 17th flawlessly, courtesy of a pair of stingers that barely lifted off the ground, Schenk squandered a close-range birdie opportunity that would have afforded him a two-stroke advantage approaching the 72nd hole.
When Phillips achieved par and Schenk’s playing partner, Takumi Kanaya, missed the 18th green in regulation, he comprehended that his sole requirement was one final par to attain the breakthrough. However, as destiny would dictate, it would not transpire without one concluding 5-foot tickler, and in contrast to the preceding hole, Schenk advanced and executed with finesse, exorcising his inner demons and becoming a PGA Tour victor in a singular, sweeping motion.
“I was cognizant of my potential to secure victory; it merely necessitated executing each shot and managing each situation I encountered,” Schenk conveyed. “I am incredulous that it has concluded. It seemed like the most protracted day imaginable.”
