(NOTE: Max Rottluff concluded his second year as a pro and has shared this letter about the start to his professional career and the goal of reaching the PGA Tour. Max earned All-America honors and graduated in spring of 2016).
As I look back on my 2017 season on the course, I'm proud of what I accomplished. I won for the second time on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada, I've competed in tournaments on every major Tour in North America, and I earned a spot in the Web.com Tour Finals this December.
Now, as I aim to set up my 2017 season for success as I get ready to compete at the Final Stage of Web.com Tour Q-School, I'm feeling more prepared than ever before and ready to take the next step in my career.
The season started off with something new for me, as I Monday Qualified for my first PGA Tour event at the Farmers Insurance Open. Playing Torrey Pines, a course I'd seen so many times on TV before, was an amazing experience, and even though I didn't play my best I was able to compare my game to the best players in the world, and I know that I can play and compete at that level.
A few weeks later, another first came next for me as I headed to Colombia to play in a PGA Tour Latinoamérica. Just like in Canada, the competition is very strong on that Tour. Thanks to some of the work I'd put in on my game during the offseason, I played well and shot a final round 64 to finish third Seeing my game come through in competition let me know that I was on the right track for a good season.
When I headed back to Canada for the start of the 2017 Mackenzie Tour season, I knew what to expect. Last year, I made my pro debut there after graduating from Arizona State, and I learned quickly that you have to shoot some really low scores every week if you want to compete. Coming into this year, I knew this year's players were going to be really good – former All-Americans like Robby Shelton, Lee McCoy and Jordan Niebrugge were among those joining the Tour – and I'd have to be even better than last year to compete.
Fortunately, having some experience with the tournaments and courses in Canada paid off, as I got into contention at the second event of the year, the Bayview Place Cardtronics Open. I had made my pro debut there a year earlier, and I had a comfortable feeling all week that helped me shoot a third round 63 to have a chance to win on Sunday.
During the final round, I kept drawing back to my experience from my first Mackenzie Tour win last year. I knew that if I could get the job done last year, I could do it this year too. I made three straight birdies to start the back nine and added another one at 16, and it was enough to give me a one-shot win.
Winning for the second straight year felt amazing, but I knew that I'd have to keep going to try and secure a return trip to the Web.com Tour Finals. During the middle of the season, I had the opportunity to play in a few Web.com Tour events, and playing there made me want to get out there full time so badly in 2018. I wanted another chance to win, and a few weeks later in Edmonton, I had one.
Starting the final round three shots off the lead at the Syncrude Oil Country Championship, I did my best to chase down the leaders and once again made three straight birdies early in the back nine to jump to the top of the leaderboard. After I putted out for par on 18, I was ahead by two and had to wait to see if anyone could catch me.
Even though I had gone 64-64 over the last two rounds, I had a feeling it was going to come down to a playoff, and that's exactly what happened. Patrick Newcomb, who won earlier this year on PGA Tour Latinoamérica, birdied the No. 17 and parred No. 18 to tie me and force extra holes, and even though I played well in the playoff and had a couple of good looks to win it, but in the end Patrick birdied the fourth playoff hole to win.
It stung a little to play so well and not end up with the trophy, but I knew it was another step in the right direction for me. It was enough to secure a spot for me in the top-10 on the Order of Merit at the end of the season and an exemption into the Web.com Tour Finals, where I'll play for my full status in 2018. This year, Final Stage takes place in my adopted home state of Arizona, and I'm so excited for the chance to set up my next year for success.
As an added bonus, I'll get to compete with the Mackenzie Tour team again this year in the Aruba Cup, a Ryder Cup-style Match Play event against PGA Tour Latinoamérica in Aruba. Last year our Mackenzie Tour team didn't play our best and lost the Cup, and we're looking forward to the chance to get revenge this year.
It's going to be an awesome way to celebrate another solid year and compete at a great golf course, and I can't wait to reflect on it all, enjoy the moment, and get right back to work on making next year even better.
Go Devils!
Max Rottluff
As I look back on my 2017 season on the course, I'm proud of what I accomplished. I won for the second time on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada, I've competed in tournaments on every major Tour in North America, and I earned a spot in the Web.com Tour Finals this December.
Now, as I aim to set up my 2017 season for success as I get ready to compete at the Final Stage of Web.com Tour Q-School, I'm feeling more prepared than ever before and ready to take the next step in my career.
The season started off with something new for me, as I Monday Qualified for my first PGA Tour event at the Farmers Insurance Open. Playing Torrey Pines, a course I'd seen so many times on TV before, was an amazing experience, and even though I didn't play my best I was able to compare my game to the best players in the world, and I know that I can play and compete at that level.
A few weeks later, another first came next for me as I headed to Colombia to play in a PGA Tour Latinoamérica. Just like in Canada, the competition is very strong on that Tour. Thanks to some of the work I'd put in on my game during the offseason, I played well and shot a final round 64 to finish third Seeing my game come through in competition let me know that I was on the right track for a good season.
When I headed back to Canada for the start of the 2017 Mackenzie Tour season, I knew what to expect. Last year, I made my pro debut there after graduating from Arizona State, and I learned quickly that you have to shoot some really low scores every week if you want to compete. Coming into this year, I knew this year's players were going to be really good – former All-Americans like Robby Shelton, Lee McCoy and Jordan Niebrugge were among those joining the Tour – and I'd have to be even better than last year to compete.
Fortunately, having some experience with the tournaments and courses in Canada paid off, as I got into contention at the second event of the year, the Bayview Place Cardtronics Open. I had made my pro debut there a year earlier, and I had a comfortable feeling all week that helped me shoot a third round 63 to have a chance to win on Sunday.
During the final round, I kept drawing back to my experience from my first Mackenzie Tour win last year. I knew that if I could get the job done last year, I could do it this year too. I made three straight birdies to start the back nine and added another one at 16, and it was enough to give me a one-shot win.
Winning for the second straight year felt amazing, but I knew that I'd have to keep going to try and secure a return trip to the Web.com Tour Finals. During the middle of the season, I had the opportunity to play in a few Web.com Tour events, and playing there made me want to get out there full time so badly in 2018. I wanted another chance to win, and a few weeks later in Edmonton, I had one.
Starting the final round three shots off the lead at the Syncrude Oil Country Championship, I did my best to chase down the leaders and once again made three straight birdies early in the back nine to jump to the top of the leaderboard. After I putted out for par on 18, I was ahead by two and had to wait to see if anyone could catch me.
Even though I had gone 64-64 over the last two rounds, I had a feeling it was going to come down to a playoff, and that's exactly what happened. Patrick Newcomb, who won earlier this year on PGA Tour Latinoamérica, birdied the No. 17 and parred No. 18 to tie me and force extra holes, and even though I played well in the playoff and had a couple of good looks to win it, but in the end Patrick birdied the fourth playoff hole to win.
It stung a little to play so well and not end up with the trophy, but I knew it was another step in the right direction for me. It was enough to secure a spot for me in the top-10 on the Order of Merit at the end of the season and an exemption into the Web.com Tour Finals, where I'll play for my full status in 2018. This year, Final Stage takes place in my adopted home state of Arizona, and I'm so excited for the chance to set up my next year for success.
As an added bonus, I'll get to compete with the Mackenzie Tour team again this year in the Aruba Cup, a Ryder Cup-style Match Play event against PGA Tour Latinoamérica in Aruba. Last year our Mackenzie Tour team didn't play our best and lost the Cup, and we're looking forward to the chance to get revenge this year.
It's going to be an awesome way to celebrate another solid year and compete at a great golf course, and I can't wait to reflect on it all, enjoy the moment, and get right back to work on making next year even better.
Go Devils!
Max Rottluff