Todd Doubles Up in Mexico to Complete Dream Comeback

Brendon Todd did not earn a single FedEx Cup point in 2018. But 12 months later he leads the standings after winning his second tournament of the new season. If anybody ever needed a reason to keep going, to keep chasing the dream, Todd provides it. 

He won the Bermuda Championship and now he has changed his life forever with a victory at the rain-affected Mayakoba Classic at El Camaleón Golf Club, his second PGA Tour win in as many starts after falling off the planet for three years. In 2018 he played on the PGA Tour on something known as Past Champion status and missed six cuts in six tries. He was ready to give up.

“It wasn’t that we were running out of money,” said his wife Rachel after Todd’s win in Mexico. “But we were looking into other options, what would be best for our family ardour three young children. Our financial advisor came and sat down with us.”

CUT
CUT
CUT
CUT
T28
???? - @Bermuda_Champ
???? - @MayakobaGolf

Brendon Todd becomes the first player to win back-to-back events on TOUR since @b_dechambeau (2018 @TheNTGolf, @DellTechChamp).#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/PHoP5I0Rof

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 18, 2019

They set up a meeting to potentially franchise a pizza restaurant that started in their hometown of Athens, Georgia. Then, almost a year ago to the day, Todd shot a 61 to Monday-qualify for The RSM Classic, the beginning of his comeback. And just one year later, Todd is walking on air. He shot a final round of 68 for a winning total of 20 under par after returning to the course to see out his final four holes, watching playing partner Vaughn Taylor leave his 15-foot birdie putt to tie a fraction short on the final green.

In the end, Todd defeated Taylor, Carlos Ortiz (66) and Adam Long (66) by a shot. He had won for the second time in as many starts, qualifying for The Masters in the process, and leaving his fellow professionals gasping in admiration. “It’s unbelievable,” said Harris English, who finished in fifth place. “This game can go away from you so fast.”

Taylor said: “Not many guys come back from that deep. It’s amazing. I think the whole PGA Tour is in awe what Brendon has achieved. The scars in this game run deep. It’s a testament to his mental game.”

When play resumed, Todd drained his right-to-left birdie putt on 15 to retake a lead he had squandered with two loose holes as darkness fell Sunday night. He gave it back, missing from inside three feet on 16, but Taylor bogeyed, as well.

Don Gadberry, Todd’s caddie, gave him a good talking-to as they walked to the 17th tee. “I just said, ‘I need you for two more holes,’” Gadberry said. And the message got through. Todd made a tough two-putt par on the 17th, then got up and down from in front of the 18th green.

“This is just super special,” Todd said of the win. “This win might honestly mean more to me than the last one, this being a full FedExCup event, full $7.2m purse and a resort that I just love.”

And Todd may even find himself in line for a Presidents Cup call-up if Brooks Koepka fails to recover from a knee injury.