Ben Silverman’s Miraculous Quest to Make the Cut at The Players Championship
With only one hole standing between him and the cut line at The Players Championship, Canadian golfer Ben Silverman faced a daunting challenge. He needed to make a miracle shot of 109 yards to hole out on the par-5 ninth hole and extend his tournament run.
As the Florida sun began to fade at TPC Sawgrass on Friday, Silverman, age 36, prepared himself for a do-or-die moment. His playing partner, Ryo Hisatsune, was the only other player still on the course yet to complete his second round. Instead of attempting the eagle putt under the dimming light, Silverman decided to mark his ball and wait until the following day.
Unique Practice Session
The suspension of play gave Silverman a rare opportunity – a one-of-a-kind practice session. Before the sun had fully risen on Saturday, he was out on the driving range honing his 56-degree wedge skills. With each shot, he visualized the forthcoming attempt.
Practice Makes Perfect
The pressure was immense. Having recorded an overall score of one-over par, Silverman required a hole-in-one to proceed to the third round.
Despite his best efforts at perfecting his technique during practice, Silverman’s approach shot on Saturday fell short into a bunker. A subsequent bogey left him with a disheartening two-over 74 for the round and an overall score of two-over par – three shots shy of the one-under par cut line.
No Regrets
Despite falling short, Silverman, a 14-year professional with two wins on the Korn Ferry Tour, remained optimistic.
“There’s no point in putting so much pressure on it; just do the best I can,” Silverman reflected. “Didn’t go in – if it went in, great, but I tried my best this week.”
Hisatsune’s Disappointment
Like Silverman, Hisatsune also faced disappointment. Teeing off from the same hole on Saturday morning at even-par overall, he came up just short of the cut line with a missed 34-foot birdie putt.
Big Names Miss the Cut
Notable players who did not qualify for the third round included multiple-major champions Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth. Both finished one-over and two-over, respectively.
Thomas, who had a flawless record of never missing the cut in eight previous appearances at The Players Championship, was particularly disappointing.
Leading Contenders
Wyndham Clark took a commanding four-stroke lead into the third round, having shot his second consecutive 65. Xander Schauffele and Nick Taylor were leading the chasing pack.
