Caymanian golfer Justin Hastings launched his 2026 professional campaign on the Korn Ferry Tour this month with two consecutive appearances in the Bahamas.
His season began at the Ocean Club Golf Course for The Bahamas Golf Classic at Atlantis Paradise Island, held from 11-14 Jan.
Hastings maintained a steady performance throughout the four-day event, carding rounds of 67, 68, 69, and 68 to finish with a 16-under-par total of 272. This result placed him in a tie for 33rd and earned him $5,950 in prize money.
Bahamas Great Abaco Classic
Following that debut, Hastings moved on to the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club, which ran from 18-21 Jan.
He saw a significant improvement in his leaderboard standing during this second event, ultimately finishing in a tie for second place alongside American Alistair Docherty.
Reflecting on the factors that led to his higher finish, Hastings said, “I think the biggest factor that changed from week one to week two was really the weather. We got some really windy, almost miserable weather in that second tournament.
“I think that plays really well into my golf game … I think that kind of throws some of the other players for a loop when they see that kind of wind. But being from Cayman, we’re so used to it, so I think that really helped a lot, and I was able to kind of just grind through it, get some good breaks and find myself in a good place at the end of the week.”
Hastings concluded the tournament at 11-under par overall with a total of 277 strokes, capping off his performance with a 3-under 69 in the final round.
He finished just one stroke behind the eventual winner, American Ian Holt, who claimed the title at 12-under par with a winning total of 276 strokes.
On the impact of the result, Hastings said, “The second-place finish means a lot, especially to do it this early in the season.
“It’s all a points race for the entire year, so we’re all trying to be in the top 20 and to have that big boost to start the season [that way] you kind of know what you have to do for the rest of the season to get to the benchmark you’re looking for. So that’s really helpful in terms of just clarity and understanding what you have to do for the next eight to ten months,” he added.
Next for Hastings is the Farmers Insurance Open, which he said is “a sponsors invite on the PGA Tour.” The event, hosted in San Diego, California, is set to run from 29 Jan. to 1 Feb.
“This was relatively unexpected, and I only got the call about 10 days to two weeks ago that I’d be able to play in this so [I’m] very, very excited. I’ll be playing on the PGA Tour for a week and then going back to the Korn Ferry Tour for the rest of the season after this,” he said.
