Cayman golf prodigy Justin Hastings earned the first professional pay cheque of his career in Canada last weekend. The 21-year-old – who played as an amateur in three major championships this year – began the long and challenging journey of qualifying for the PGA tour in Ottawa.
Hastings made the cut at the Commissionaires Ottawa Open on the PGA Americas tour – the first tier of professional golf in the region.
Making the step up from college star to the professional arena, Hastings was relatively pleased with the way he played.
He played his best golf on the opening days to make the halfway cut and record his first points in the Fortinet Cup standings. He was less happy with his performance on the final two days and ultimately finished nine under par to place 72nd in a field of 150.
The lowkey surroundings of the Eagle Creek course are a far cry from the atmospheres Hastings has experienced at the US Masters, US Open and the Open in the UK this year.
But while he enjoyed his taste of the big time, Hastings’ entry into the major championships stemmed from his victory at the Latin America Amateur Championship and was essentially a wildcard that depended on his amateur status.
As he seeks to make a career for himself in the sport, the road back to that arena starts with the Fortinet Cup in Canada.
It could be several years at this level before he can make the jump to the Korn Ferry tour and hopefully the PGA tour – the highest level of professional golf, which brings with it the chance to compete against the world’s best for the biggest prizes in sport.
“It will likely be a year or a few before I will be able to compete in the majors again, as the competition is stiff for professionals,” he acknowledged.
“It is hard to give a timeline because I could be next year or it could be never, in theory,” said Hastings, acknowledging that his progress depends on how well he plays.
But the experience of playing against the likes of Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler and holding his own has solidified his belief that he can make it to the top. Within the next decade, he hopes to be full time on the PGA tour and hopefully a PGA tournament winner.
“I believe I can get there,” he said.
“The main difference from college golf is the depth of field. It feels like every player in the field has the opportunity to win, which isn’t necessarily the case in college.”
He competes again in Toronto this week and will continue to play over the next seven weeks in a bid to earn points to move up to the Korn Ferry tour or regain status for the PGA Americas tour.
