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TSN Senior Reporter

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In his mind, he knew he was good enough, knew he had the tools and the game to win on the PGA Tour. But until he did it, until he put the last putt in the hole and finished with the lowest score, there was always uncertainty.

No more.

Using great ball-striking and a red-hot putter, and yes, some magic, the Abbotsford, B.C., product finally got it done at the Valspar Championship, a tournament that wasn’t decided until the last few nervous shots.

With a 72nd-hole par, Hadwin may have not only earned his first win, but quite possibly opened the door to many more to come.

“You're never quite sure when you're going to get the job done,” said Hadwin after his round, “and . . .  I've been playing some great golf this year, and I had my chance at Career Builder and played well and got beat.

“You know, I just went out there today and stuck to what I do best, and just hit some quality golf shots, and really made the game super easy outside of hole No. 16. You know, I feel a little fortunate after that hole to be sitting here with you, but I'll certainly take it and I can't wait for everything that comes with this win.”

Hadwin becomes the 14th Canadian to win on the PGA Tour and the second this season, joining Mackenzie Hughes. Hadwin went through the front nine in even par, maintaining his lead.

But as he made the turn, a buzz saw in the name of Patrick Cantlay caught fire, rolling off five birdies in a six-hole stretch.

As Hadwin stood on the 16th tee, he held a two-shot lead and looked in control. But one loose swing later, the victory seemed to be slipping away. The tee shot started right and faded, eventually falling into the water. It was the only time all week that the 29-year-old seemed to show emotion. As his bogey putt slid by the left edge, he flipped his putter and swore.

“That came out of nowhere,” said Hadwin of the tee shot. “I had really striped it all day and all week. I stuck with the same shot I've been hitting the first three days, just a little cut off the left tree, and up and out of it a little thin. Just didn't have enough to carry.”

But using the experience of being in the hunt down the stretch before, Hadwin regrouped, something he might not have been able to do a few months or years before. Not this time.

Hadwin made a solid par on the 17th and then used a belly wedge on the 18th to get his ball two within a foot for par. When Cantlay could only muster a bogey, the Canadian was a winner.

“I've played great golf all week, and I knew that 17, 18, again, are no bargain,” he said. “You've got to hit quality golf shots, so I had to refocus quickly and get back into it. You know, Patrick had played some unbelievable golf up until that point, as well. So I knew that I couldn't just kind of coast in.”

The win comes with a slew of prizes: a two-year exemption, a $1.1 million cheque, invites into a number of invitational tournaments and, of course, a spot in The Masters.

That’s created a bit of shuffling for Hadwin, who is getting married on March 24. His honeymoon was slated for Masters week but that will be re-scheduled. French Polynesia was the original destination; now he and his wife-to-be, Jessica Kippenberger, will head to Augusta.

“I'm just hoping I get my deposit back,” chuckled Hadwin to reporters. “You laugh like I'm joking; I'm serious here. I understand I won a nice check this week, but I don't like to throw money away.

“Luckily we were kind of smart about it. We booked refundable airfare tickets, so I can get that back. But the hotel deposit, I might have to work with the Four Seasons on that.”

Lorie Kane, who went through a number of close calls before finally winning, once said that you win when you finally get tired of losing. Hadwin was getting tired of coming close, especially knowing how his game stacked up to those who already had trophies. But no more.  And now that he knows how to get it done, there’s no reason to think more wins will follow.