WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Adam Schenk needed a jolt. He found one in a likely source.
A month ago, the four-year PGA Tour member reached out to his old college coach, asking for a favor. Keep in mind, he only played under Rob Bradley for one year at Purdue. However, that bond that formed way back during the 2013-14 season has only strengthened seven years later.
That one year for Schenk, however, has made a big difference in the grand scheme of things.
"It's crazy that it has been seven years since I have been at Purdue. He helped me so much in the one year he was my coach at Purdue. I was very fortunate he came in when he did," Schenk said. "Rob was able to get through to me during that one year. I don't know what sparked my game and I played a lot better. He gave me a belief that I could make a professional career out of golf."
You see, Schenk and Bradley helped put Purdue golf back on the map. The Vincennes, Indiana, native led Purdue to the NCAA Championships in Bradley's first season as a collegiate head coach. Since then, Purdue has been one of the top teams year-in and year-out in the Big Ten Conference, reaching three NCAA Championships in Bradley's eight years.
Schenk's request was two-fold. First, Adam was in a rut. He needed a mental boost. The PGA Tour is a grind for dozens of players just trying to make it big. They play every tournament, traveling usually by car site to site. He's played in the second-most events on the Tour this year. Being away from home and the daily grind can wear on anyone.
Secondly, he needed help. His game was slightly off-kilter. He was making cuts, but barely. And he figured he'd reach out to his old coach for the stretch run.
"Rob had caddied for Stuart (Macdonald) before and we just really enjoy being around each other. I play a lot of events and my caddie has a family of his own and it's a lot of time for him to be away, so I reached out to Rob and asked him if he'd want to do three or four events this summer," Schenk said. "Rob has been very influential for me and my career and really knows my game. He's been like my caddie, coach and sports psychologist all in one the past month. It worked out with his schedule and we went with it.
"Gaining confidence in golf is hard and you beat yourself up a lot more since it's an individual sport. You can be so streaky. You can play great one day and terrible the next. No one can get you out of the hole but yourself. It makes it worthwhile when you do and Rob has definitely helped me with that. Without him, I don't know if I would have this current run," Schenk said.
Since that happened a little less than a month ago before the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Schenk's play has taken off. With Bradley's help on the bag over three of the last four events, Schenk has finished T-41, T-4, T-15 and T-51. He took a brief lead in the final round at the John Deere Classic before finishing fourth (with Brent Henley on the bag) – his first career top-five finish ‑- and pocketed 108.75 key FedEx points and a cool $248,000 in his pocket. He followed that up with a 15th-place showing at the Barbasol Championship, 29.75 FedEx points and another $58,625.
Crazier things have happened, but the results from the past four tournaments have basically locked up his PGA Tour card for another year. He currently sits 113th in the FEDEX Cup and he's made $881,297 this season with just two regular-season events left (this week at the Barracuda Championship at Lake Tahoe; Wyndham Championship in Greensboro) before the FedEx Cup gets underway Aug. 19.
"It means a lot to get my card again. I feel like I am getting closer to breaking through and I am putting a lot of things together. I am excited to see what I can do with a full season, starting here in the next couple of months. To start a season with how I am ending this year is really encouraging and hopefully I can get off to a good start," Schenk said. "A month ago, it didn't look great to keep my card and now it looks like I will keep it. It's a big mental turnaround knowing that I have a shot next year and would love to build off what I did this last month. That's what I am excited about."
"I am so proud of Adam. He works so hard and is so disciplined on the road. He's always in the gym. He's on the range. He's on the putting green. His work ethic is incredible. He's doing all the right things to get him to the next level," Bradley said.
As far what happens in the future, no one can predict that. Coach Bradley will return to West Lafayette to start preparing the Boilermakers for the 2021-22 season after a summer that has seen his own squad have significant success.
"We had a lot of fun during those three weeks and it's really helped me as a coach. I get to watch the best players in the world prepare for tournament and seeing what they are working on and what they are doing when they are practicing. I think we've both gained a lot from it the last month. The PGA Tour can be a really lonely lifestyle. It's every man for himself, so I just want to be there for him." said Bradley.
While Schenk knows that he will be able to take what Bradley has imparted in him from the last month and use it to his advantage.
"I stay in touch with Rob. If we don't talk once a week, it's at least every two weeks. And we talk about anything. He's always had my best interests in my mind, whether you want to hear it or not," Schenk continued.
Meanwhile, once the sports seasons begin again here at Purdue, Bradley knows that Schenk and fellow PGA Tour member, Tyler Duncan, will be tuned in to the Boilermakers.
"I love the fact that they love Purdue. Adam's always asking me about the team and what we're doing. He loves Purdue basketball and football and really gets into their games. He's got a great attitude, he's a nice guy and he appreciates everything that the Tour does for him," Bradley said. "Tyler is the same way. Obviously, I didn't coach Tyler, but I have gotten to know him. Tyler absolutely loves Purdue and they want to help anyway they can and are both great representatives of Purdue."
A month ago, the four-year PGA Tour member reached out to his old college coach, asking for a favor. Keep in mind, he only played under Rob Bradley for one year at Purdue. However, that bond that formed way back during the 2013-14 season has only strengthened seven years later.
That one year for Schenk, however, has made a big difference in the grand scheme of things.
"It's crazy that it has been seven years since I have been at Purdue. He helped me so much in the one year he was my coach at Purdue. I was very fortunate he came in when he did," Schenk said. "Rob was able to get through to me during that one year. I don't know what sparked my game and I played a lot better. He gave me a belief that I could make a professional career out of golf."
You see, Schenk and Bradley helped put Purdue golf back on the map. The Vincennes, Indiana, native led Purdue to the NCAA Championships in Bradley's first season as a collegiate head coach. Since then, Purdue has been one of the top teams year-in and year-out in the Big Ten Conference, reaching three NCAA Championships in Bradley's eight years.
Schenk's request was two-fold. First, Adam was in a rut. He needed a mental boost. The PGA Tour is a grind for dozens of players just trying to make it big. They play every tournament, traveling usually by car site to site. He's played in the second-most events on the Tour this year. Being away from home and the daily grind can wear on anyone.
Secondly, he needed help. His game was slightly off-kilter. He was making cuts, but barely. And he figured he'd reach out to his old coach for the stretch run.
"Rob had caddied for Stuart (Macdonald) before and we just really enjoy being around each other. I play a lot of events and my caddie has a family of his own and it's a lot of time for him to be away, so I reached out to Rob and asked him if he'd want to do three or four events this summer," Schenk said. "Rob has been very influential for me and my career and really knows my game. He's been like my caddie, coach and sports psychologist all in one the past month. It worked out with his schedule and we went with it.
"Gaining confidence in golf is hard and you beat yourself up a lot more since it's an individual sport. You can be so streaky. You can play great one day and terrible the next. No one can get you out of the hole but yourself. It makes it worthwhile when you do and Rob has definitely helped me with that. Without him, I don't know if I would have this current run," Schenk said.
Since that happened a little less than a month ago before the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Schenk's play has taken off. With Bradley's help on the bag over three of the last four events, Schenk has finished T-41, T-4, T-15 and T-51. He took a brief lead in the final round at the John Deere Classic before finishing fourth (with Brent Henley on the bag) – his first career top-five finish ‑- and pocketed 108.75 key FedEx points and a cool $248,000 in his pocket. He followed that up with a 15th-place showing at the Barbasol Championship, 29.75 FedEx points and another $58,625.
Crazier things have happened, but the results from the past four tournaments have basically locked up his PGA Tour card for another year. He currently sits 113th in the FEDEX Cup and he's made $881,297 this season with just two regular-season events left (this week at the Barracuda Championship at Lake Tahoe; Wyndham Championship in Greensboro) before the FedEx Cup gets underway Aug. 19.
"It means a lot to get my card again. I feel like I am getting closer to breaking through and I am putting a lot of things together. I am excited to see what I can do with a full season, starting here in the next couple of months. To start a season with how I am ending this year is really encouraging and hopefully I can get off to a good start," Schenk said. "A month ago, it didn't look great to keep my card and now it looks like I will keep it. It's a big mental turnaround knowing that I have a shot next year and would love to build off what I did this last month. That's what I am excited about."
"I am so proud of Adam. He works so hard and is so disciplined on the road. He's always in the gym. He's on the range. He's on the putting green. His work ethic is incredible. He's doing all the right things to get him to the next level," Bradley said.
As far what happens in the future, no one can predict that. Coach Bradley will return to West Lafayette to start preparing the Boilermakers for the 2021-22 season after a summer that has seen his own squad have significant success.
"We had a lot of fun during those three weeks and it's really helped me as a coach. I get to watch the best players in the world prepare for tournament and seeing what they are working on and what they are doing when they are practicing. I think we've both gained a lot from it the last month. The PGA Tour can be a really lonely lifestyle. It's every man for himself, so I just want to be there for him." said Bradley.
While Schenk knows that he will be able to take what Bradley has imparted in him from the last month and use it to his advantage.
"I stay in touch with Rob. If we don't talk once a week, it's at least every two weeks. And we talk about anything. He's always had my best interests in my mind, whether you want to hear it or not," Schenk continued.
Meanwhile, once the sports seasons begin again here at Purdue, Bradley knows that Schenk and fellow PGA Tour member, Tyler Duncan, will be tuned in to the Boilermakers.
"I love the fact that they love Purdue. Adam's always asking me about the team and what we're doing. He loves Purdue basketball and football and really gets into their games. He's got a great attitude, he's a nice guy and he appreciates everything that the Tour does for him," Bradley said. "Tyler is the same way. Obviously, I didn't coach Tyler, but I have gotten to know him. Tyler absolutely loves Purdue and they want to help anyway they can and are both great representatives of Purdue."