Prior to his career on the PGA Tour Wes Bryan was a trick-shot artist. He needed to tap into that former life Friday to get two more rounds at the Valspar Championship, two more rounds he needs to save his tour card.
This week marks Bryan’s final start on a major medical exemption, and with two holes left on Day 2 at Innisbrook Bryan found his drive on the 17th in a bush. Already on the cut line number, the drive put him in a bad spot in the worst of ways.
But Bryan was able to make a miraculous up-and-down by choking down on an iron and getting the ball out of trouble, pitching his third to a couple feet and saving bogey, giving himself a chance on the 17th hole.
Bryan then took full advantage of the opportunity, his driving finding the 18th fairway then his approach, from 133 yards out, coming to rest just three feet from the pin for a birdie. It was a total-day total of 139, reaching the weekend on the number.
It’s been a strange and frustrating journey for Bryan. In 2016 he became just the 11th player to earn the “battlefield promotion” with three wins on the then-Web.com Tour and captured the RBC Heritage in April 2017. But in 62 tour starts since his triumph at Harbour Town Bryan has just one top-10 finish. He’s dealt with injuries and a spell of the driving yips and hasn’t made the playoffs since 2017.
As this week marks his final appearance on a medical exemption, Bryan needs to finish at least solo 51st to retain conditional status on tour, with a finish of sixth or better bestowing full playing privileges. He starts Round 3 at the Valspar six shots behind that sixth-place barrier, but as his Friday finish showed, Bryan is still capable of making some magic.