Padraig Harrington may have won the Simmons Financial institution Championship in Arkansas, however Jason Caron was the largest winner from the PGA Tour Champions final week.
He secured standing on the PGA Tour Champions for the 2025 season, a “ridiculous” accomplishment in and of itself. Due to his T-3 end in Arkansas, Caron completed among the many high 36 inside the Charles Schwab Cup standings, thus incomes a card for 2025.
“I’m speechless actually, to be trustworthy. It’s simply bizarre to assume that I may even get right here. I don’t even know what to say. Truthfully, I actually don’t know what to say,” Caron mentioned.
“This isn’t my job. I didn’t—I didn’t know if I used to be ever this good, I assume, particularly of late. Then, unexpectedly, some issues began clicking. That putter that I acquired began working. I don’t know. It simply sort of occurred, I assume. I actually don’t have any phrases to inform you about what it means or something like that as a result of it’s sort of stunning.”
At 52, Caron is now the Head Golf Skilled at Mill River Membership in Oyster Bay, New York, on Lengthy Island. He performed two full seasons on the PGA Tour within the early 2000s and spent 9 years battling on the Korn Ferry Tour. He additionally performed within the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, the place he tied for thirtieth—a powerful end contemplating it was his first look in a serious, not to mention close to his hometown. Seventeen years later, Caron returned to Bethpage for the 2019 PGA Championship however missed the reduce. His 9-over 79 within the second spherical did him in that week.
However now, 5 years later, Caron has produced some ridiculous magic. He tied for fourth at this yr’s Senior PGA Championship, which awarded him $154,000 in prize cash and loads of Charles Schwab Cup factors. His run to incomes a card started then.
Because the Senior PGA in Could, Caron performed in seven extra occasions on the PGA Tour Champions earlier than this week’s Simmons Financial institution Championship. He even posted two extra top-5s on the Rogers Charity Traditional and the Constellation Furyk & Pals.
Then, this week, Caron opened up with a 7-under 65.
“[Mill River Club has] been very good sufficient to let me exit and play, they usually like that. They’ve at all times had a superb taking part in skilled. The whole lot sort of simply snowballed this yr when it got here to taking part in. I wasn’t doing something totally different. I didn’t apply more durable, I didn’t putt extra. I simply sort of like let it go and I believe that’s been the important thing to my success is simply letting it go,” Caron mentioned after Friday’s spherical.
“Lots of people say that you just’re in all probability in such a great spot as a result of you could have such a superb job at residence that that is sort of like sort of simply free cash, if you’ll, proper? So simply sort of play free. I believe it actually has labored fairly nicely this yr.”
He started the week ranked 53rd within the Charles Schwab Cup standings, so he wanted a top-3 end result to complete among the many high 36. The highest 36 qualify for the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship and earn standing on the PGA Tour Champions in 2025.
A 3-under 69 and a 4-under 68 adopted, which put Caron at 14-under for the championship. Solely Harrington and Y.E. Yang completed higher.
“Hear, I performed nice the primary day, performed good [on Saturday], performed superb [on Saturday], and [on Sunday] I used to be taking part in—I used to be taking part in good. I used to be by no means nervous, I used to be simply taking part in golf,” Caron mentioned after the ultimate spherical.
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“Had an unlucky break on one of many holes; I hit it left into the bunker, and it sort of popped out. It was a troublesome lie, simply skanked it up there and two-putted for my bogey. I’m like, ‘Hear, you can nonetheless hit good pictures coming in, you can transfer your standing up a little bit bit, that may be fairly good.’ Subsequent factor you already know, I made a birdie, made a par, made a birdie, and made one other birdie. I imply, I virtually chipped in on the final gap.
“No, I actually, I’m not going to say I didn’t need this to occur, however I simply didn’t assume it may ever occur.”
Take into account a number of the names that didn’t end among the many high 36 after final week in Arkansas: 2003 Masters Champion Mike Weir, 2001 PGA Champion David Toms, 1997 Open Champion Justin Leonard, and Swedish Ryder Cup stalwart Robert Karlsson.
However Caron did.
“It’s simply sort of mind-boggling to assume that—if everybody got here to my work and noticed what I’ve been doing the final 10 years, you’ll say there’s no probability this might occur. And all the fellows within the [Metropolitan Golf] part, truly, I ought to take a look at the digital camera and inform ‘em, you’ll agree there’s no manner this might have occurred. In some way, it did,” Caron added.
“I believe that I’ll look again at this and simply—clearly I assume one thing between my ears clicked as a result of I’m taking part in with Vijay Singh and Steve Alker and all these guys which can be staples on the Tour. It simply by no means actually bothered me, I assume. I actually don’t have a solution for it. I don’t know. I actually simply don’t know what to say. I’m in disbelief, to be trustworthy.”
Regardless of incomes full standing on the PGA Tour Champions, Caron nonetheless plans to work his day job on Lengthy Island all through 2025. He thinks he’ll make a number of begins on tour from January via early April, when the snow is gone and the golf season arrives within the northeast. He shall be “again to work” by the early spring. Nonetheless, Caron will nonetheless play in and concentrate on the 5 senior majors all through the spring and summer season. His schedule will then release after August—much like this previous yr—and he hopes to play the backend of the PGA Tour Champions schedule in 2025.
However these new alternatives pale as compared within the grand scheme of issues.
“Chasing the white golf ball down the green will not be my first precedence,” Caron mentioned.
“My children are.”
The Lengthy Island father of two achieved the inconceivable, making it to the highest of the senior circuit this previous week. But, he stored his priorities and expectations grounded all through. He’s a father and a husband initially, a membership professional second, and now, a touring professional third. His spouse, Liz, is an authorized LPGA instructing skilled at Mill River Membership, too, so sure, golf runs via the household.
However that’s what acquired Caron into the highest 36 within the first place. He targeted on himself and his household, prioritizing what issues most. He didn’t apply particularly arduous, nor did he have any expectations for himself. His spouse and kids come first.
The whole lot “simply sort of snowballed” from this previous spring, as Caron mentioned. But, by the point the snow melts away by subsequent April, Caron ought to have loads of PGA Tour Champions begins beneath his belt. And hopefully, relying on the schedule, his household can be part of him each step of the way in which. That will undoubtedly make him the happiest man in skilled golf.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By means of. Remember to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.
